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GENERAL 

LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY    OP 
CALIFORNIA 


er 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING, 


Science  of  Fishing 


The  Most  Practical  Book  on  Fishing 
Ever  Published 


Tells  How  to  Catch  Fish ;  For  Those  Who 

Have  Caught  Them,  as  Well  as 

Those  Wiio  Never  Have 


BY 

LAKE  BROOKS 


Published  by 

A.  R.  HARDING.  Publisher 
Columbus,  Ohio 


Copyright  1912 
Bv  A.  R.  HARDING 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER.  PAGE 

I.     Remarks  on  the  "Gentle  Art" 15 

II.    Rods 21 

III.  Reels 38 

IV.  Hooks,   Lines   and   Leaders 51 

V.     Flies 65 

VI.    Artificial    Baits 72 

VII.  Landing  Nets,  Gaffs,  Tackle  Boxes,  Etc.     .      .  83 

VIII.    Bait  Casting 95 

IX.     Fly    Casting 103 

X.  Surf-Casting,  Trolling,   bthi   Fishing,   Etc.     .  .     112 

XL    Use  of  Natural  Baits 121 

XII.    Handling  the  Hooked  Fish 130 

XIII.  Fishing  For  Black  Bass 135 

XIV.  Fishing  For  Trout  and  Salmon 143 

XV.  Pike,  Pickerel,  Muskellunge,  and  Pike-Perch     .  157 

XVI.  Sunfish,   Carp,   Catfish,   and   Suckers     ...  167 

XVII.     Fishing  For  Tarpon  and  Tuna 184 

XVIII.    Fishing  For  Other  Sea  Fish 190 

XIX.  Making,  Repairing,  and  Caring  For  Tackle     .  201 

XX.  General   Information   and   Advice     ....  222 

XXI.     Commercial    Fishing 230 

XXII.  Distribution   of   Fish  — Good    Places     ...  249 

7 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

A  Catch  of   Salmon   and   Trout   from   the   Miramichi 

River,  New  Brunswick Frontispiece 

A  Large  Specimen  of  the  Northern  Pike 17 

Construction  of  Split  Bamboo  and  Solid  Wood  Rods     .  23 

Various  Styles  of  Line  Guides 25 

Various  Styles  of  Rod  Tips 27 

Rod  Handles 28 

Three-Piece  Bait-Casting  Rod,  and  Three-Piece  Steel 

Bait-Casting  Rod 30 

Fly  Rod  and  Bait  Rod 32 

A    Salmon    Fly    Rod 34 

A   Two-Piece   Split  Bamboo   Salt-Water   Rod,   and  a 

Solid  Wood  Rod  with  Removable  Butt     ....  35 

Agate  Tip  for  Salt-Water  Rod 36 

Single  Action  Click  Reel,  Rubber,  with  Protected  Bal- 
ance   Handle 39 

Single    Action   Reel   with    Revolving    Side    Plate    and 

Expert    Click    Reel 40 

Salmon  Reel 41 

Multiplying  Reel,  for  Bait-Casting 42 

The  Anti-Back-Lash  Casting  Reel 44 

Redifor  Reel    with    Automatic    Spooler 45 

The  Marhoff  Level-Winding  Reel 46 

An  Automatic  Reel  —  the  Y.  &  E 47 

An  Automatic  Reel  in  Action  —  The  Martin     ...  48 

Tarpon  and  Tuna  Reel 49 

Wood  Reel,  for  Trolling  and  Salt  Water  Fishing     .     .  50 

Various  Patterns  of  Fish  Hooks 52 

9 


10  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

Barbless    Hooks 53 

Fish  Hooks  in  Exact  Sizes 54 

Weedless    Hooks 56 

The  Van  Vleck  Tarpon  Hook 57 

Sizes  of  Twisted  Linen  Lines 58 

Sizes  of   Braided,    Enameled,    Silk  Lines      ....  59 

Sizes  of  Tapered  Silk  Lines 60 

A  Gut  Leader  and  a  Leader  Box 61 

A  Steel  Wire  Leader  with  Swivel  and  Coupler     ...  63 

Floating  or  Dry  Flies,  for  Trout 67 

Salmon    Flies .*'.-".  68 

Buck  Tail  Bass  Fly 70 

The  Roamer  Bait 72 

The  Nemo  Bait 73 

The  Booster  Bait  and  the  Fish  Nipple 74 

The  Pearl  Minnow 74 

Phantom    Minnow,    Shakespear    and    Dowagiac    Min- 
nows, Coaxer  Bait,  and  Pearl  Wobbler     ....  75 

The  Little  Wander  Bait 76 

The    Champion    Bait 76 

Muskellunge  Spoon  and  Two-Hook  Casting  Spoon     .  77 

The  Lifelike  Minnow  Bait 78 

A  Spoon  Bait  with  Fly  Hook 78 

Baits   for  Salt-Water   Fish 79 

Fluted   Casting   Baits   or    Spoons 81 

A  Landing  Net  for  Use  While  Wading  Streams     .      .  84 

Folding  Pattern  Landing  Nets 85 

A   Pocket   Landing   Net 86 

Marble's    Clincher    Gaff 87 

Gaff  Hooks 88 

A  Creel  or  Fish  Basket 89 

A  Chain   Fish   Stringer 9^ 

A   Glass    Minnow   Trap 91 

A  "Lead  In"  for  a  Glass  Jar  Trap 92 


ILLUSTRATIONS.  11 

PAGE 

A  Metal  Tackle  Box 93 

The  Fruits  of  Bait  Casting 96 

Diagram  Showing  Bait  Side  Cast 98 

Thumbing  the  Reel 99 

Spooling  the  Line 100 

A  Soft  Rubber  Butt  Cap 101 

Results  of  Fly  Casting 106 

A  Catch  of  Pike  and  Suckers  from  Otter  Tail  Co., 

Minnesota,  Killed  with  Spears 115 

A  Fish  Spear 117 

Eel  or  Sucker  Spear 118 

A  Pickerel  Trap,  for  Ice  Fishing 119 

Sunfish,  a  Two  Hours'  Catch  Near  Madison,  Wis.  .  .  123 

Hooks  Baited  with  Worm  and  Hopper 124 

Hook  Baited  with  Minnow 125 

Some  Natural  Bait  Hooks 127 

Small  Mouthed  and  Large  Mouthed  Black  Bass  .  .  137 

Steelhead  Trout,  Brook  Trout,  and  Lake  Trout  .  .  146 

A  Thirteen  Pound  Rainbow  Trout  Taken  on  a  Spinner  .  149 

Atlantic  Salmon  and  Quinnat  Salmon 154 

Pike,  Eastern  Pickerel,  Muskellunge,  and  Pike  Perch  .  160 

Difference  in  Scales  of  Pike,  Pickerel,  and  Muskellunge  .  162 

Common  Sunfish 168 

White  Perch  and  Yellow  Perch 171 

The  Common  Carp 174 

Common  Catfish  or  Bullhead 177 

Catfish  from  Ross  County,  Ohio 179 

The  White  Sucker 181 

The  Tuna 185 

Tarpon,  Bluefish,  and  Kingfish 187 

Jewfish,  or  Black  Sea  Bass,  From  the  Pacific  .  .  .  191 
Barracuda,  Squeateague  or  Weakfish,  and  Spanish 

Mackerel 193 

Striped  Bass  and  Sea  Bass 196 


12  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

«• 

PAGE 

Red  Drum  or  Channel  Bass 197 

Sheephead 199 

Diagram  Showing  Measurements  for  a  Bait  Rod     .     .  203 

Regulation  Methods  of  Wrapping  a  Rod 210 

Another  Way  to  Wrap  a  Fishing  Rod 212 

Construction  of  Separate  Handles 213 

Leader    Knots 215 

More    Leader    Knots 217 

Hook  and  Leader  Tying 218 

Net  Knots  and  Needles 220 

Tying  the  Net,  and  Use  of  Gauge  Stick 221 

A  Catch  of  Croppies  from  Huffman  Lake,  Indiana     .  223 

Interior  of  a  Herring  Saltery 235 

Interior  of  a  Salmon  Cannery 240 

Map  Showing  the  General  Distribution  of  North  Am- 
erican Fish         252 


PREFACE. 


WHEN  planning  this  work  the  difficulty  of  thoroughly 
covering  the  broad   subject   forming  the  title  of 
the  book   was   foreseen,  and  the  average   angler 
would  probably  have  considered  it  impossible  to 
get  a  comprehensive  work  of  this  nature  into  such 
a  small  volume.     Without  a  desire  to  boast,  and  especially 
since  you  have  not  yet  had  a  chance  to  express  your  opinion 
on  the  work,   I   feel  justified  in  thinking  that   I   have  suc- 
ceeded beautifully  in  this.     But  in  order  to  tell   everything 
I  had  in  view,  as  expressed  in  the  chapters  which  follow,  I 
found  it  necessary  to  get  right  to  the  point,  and  avoid  all 
superfluities,   and  the  little   anecdotes  which  usually   relieve 
the  monotony  of  such  a  work,  but  I  believe  that  the  general 
reader  will  like  it  better  so,  since  he  will  get  in  one  book 
what  is  usually  comprised  in  two. 

The  author  is  a  practical  angler  —  not  an  expert  in  each 
branch,  it  is  true  —  but  well  acquainted  with  each.  Most 
of  the  writing  is  based  on  my  own  experience,  but  in  de- 
scriptions of  certain  fishes  and  their  habits,  I  have  been 
obliged  to  refer  sometimes  to  the  works  of  others.  In 
such  cases  all  statements  of  a  doubtful  character  have  been 
eliminated. 

It  has  been  my  object  throughout  to  inspire  the  reader 
with  a  desire  for  cleaner  and  better  sport,  that  he  may  get 
from  his  chosen  recreation  all  the  pleasure  that  there  is 
in  it.  To  this  end  I  have  dwelt  fondly  on  fly-fishing  and 
bait-rasting,  and  the  instruments  used  for  these  branches 

13 


14  PREFACE. 

of  angling,  for  I  consider  them  the  cleanest,  most  satis- 
factory, and  most  pleasant  styles  of  fishing.  Some  might 
not  look  on  it  this  way,  as  a  little  story  that  I  heard  just 
recently  will  illustrate. 

An  old  colored  woman  wanted  to  purchase  one  of  the 
late  pattern  artificial  baits,  and  the  dealer,  knowing  that  she 
did  not  know  how  to  use  a  bait  of  this  kind  proceeded  to 
explain.  "Now  see  here,"  he  said,  "you  can't  use  this  like 
you  do  an  ordinary  baited  hook ;  you  must  keep  it  moving 
all  the  time  —  wiggle  it."  And  she  replied,  "Aw  gwan  ;  take 
yo  wiggle ;  I  don't  want  no  wiggle.  I  wants  a  bait  that  I 
can  fro  out,  and  sit  still  and  fish."  And  so  it  may  be  with 
others. 

And  now  I  leave  you  to  peruse  this  work,  and  I  trust 
that  you  will  enjoy  it;  that  it  may  help  you  to  make  better 
catches  of  nicer  fish ;  and  perhaps,  if  you  are  an  amateur, 
even  teach  you  better  and  more  enjoyable  ways  of  fishing. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Remarks  on  The  "Gentle  Art." 

HE  catching  of  fish  with  a  hook  and  line  is 
a    pastime    or    occupation,    as    you    like, 
dating  back  into  prehistoric  times.     We 
read  of  this   in  the  Bible  and  are  told 
that    the    ancient    Greeks    and    Romans    even 
practiced    fly    fishing. 

Of  course  the  methods  of  the  early  fisher- 
men were  crude  compared  to  those  practiced 
at  the  present  day,  even  though  they  did  fish 
with  the  artificial  fly,  for  the  beautiful  rods,  reels,  line?  and 
other  paraphernalia  of  the  present  day  angler  were  unknown 
then.  There  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  the  first  fishing  done 
by  mankind  was  not  for  sport,  but  to  procure  the  where- 
withal to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  the  inner  man.  Doubtless 
our  remote,  savage  ancestors  picked  up  fish  that  were  cast 
up  on  the  beach  and  as  everything  in  the  line  of  flesh  was 
food,  they  soon  learned  that  fish  were  good  to  eat.  Then 
they  devised  means  of  capturing  the  finny  denizens  of  the 
deep,  perhaps  using  crude  nets  of  bark,  strips  of  hide,  and 
like  materials,  perhaps  also  making  pound  nets  or  traps 
of  rushes ;  and  when  they  learned  that  fish  would  bite  at 
dainty  morsels  thrown  into  the  water,  they  doubtless  re- 
sorted to  hair  lines  and  bone  hooks.  Liner  of  horsehair  were 
the  only  kind  in  use  in  ancient  times,  and  even  down  to  the 
days  of  "Sir"  Izaak  Walton,  in  the  first  half  of  the  sev- 

15 


16  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

enteenth  century,  perhaps  much  later.  Anyway  we  know 
that  not  many  years  ago  it  was  quite  common  to  see  a 
horsehair  line  used  for  trout  fishing,  and  such  lines  may  even 
yet  be  in  use  in  rural  districts. 

Catching  fish  with  hook  and  line  therefore  is  an  ancient 
sport,  but  it  is  also  a  modern  one  for  there  is  no  more 
delightful  pastime  to  be  had.  It  leads  one  into  the  country, 
if  not  into  the  wilds,  away  from  the  haunts  of  man  quite 
often,  and  always  to  the  quiet  places  where  Mother  Nature 
reigns.  There  the  enthusiastic  angler  gives  no  heed  to  the 
rapidly  passing  time,  as  he  casts  his  flies  first  to  this  and 
then  to  that  likely  looking  spot,  where  his  close  study  of 
the  habits  of  the  fish  have  taught  him  that  a  gamey  bass  or 
trout  may  lurk.  And  then  the  rise  and  the  strike,  the  mad 
rushes  and  acrobatic  leaps  of  the  hooked  prize,  as  it  vainly 
tries  to  break  the  line  or  shake  the  stinging  hook  from  its 
mouth !  But  the  steady  tension  of  the  bended  rod  and  the 
scientific  methods  of  the  angler  are  too  much  for  him  and 
he  is  eventually  reeled  in,  fighting  all  the  way;  the  landing 
net  is  slipped  under  him  and  he  is  lifted  bodily  from  his  be- 
loved waters. 

Or  perhaps  the  fisherman  is  a  bait-casting  enthusiast. 
With  his  short,  stiff  rod  he  sends  his  many  hooked  artificial 
bait,  resembling  nothing  in  nature,  out  many  rods  over  the 
quiet  waters,  in  much  the  same  way  that  we,  when  bare- 
foot boys,  threw  apples  from  a  stick.  With  unerring  accuracy 
he  places  the  bait  onto  the  very  spot  of  water  he  had  in 
view,  commencing  to  reel  in  the  line  as  soon  as  the  bait 
strikes  the  water.  His  method  is  certainly  scientific,  but 
will  hardly  appeal  to  the  fly-fisherman.  But  he  enjoys  it  more 
than  any  other  form  of  sport,  and  it  yields  fish,  and  big 
ones,  too. 

But  there  are  many  who  like  to  fish  who  are  not 
enthusiasts.  They  fish  on  holidays,  on  Saturday  afternoons, 
sometimes  between  Saturday  and  Monday,  and  sometimes 


A  Large  Specimen  of  the  Northern  Pike. 
17 


13  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

when  they  should  be  at  work.  It  is  the  rest,  the  quiet,  the 
fresh  air,  and  a  mess  of  lish  that  they  are  after,  usually,  but 
many  like  the  fishing  for  itself  and  to  them  there  is  as  much 
pleasure  in  hauling  a  surprised  and  protesting  carp  or  bull- 
head from  his  watery  home  as  can  be  secured  from  any  other 
form  of  sport.  Let  us  not  despise  still-fishing,  as  it  is  called, 
for  it  is  the  sport  of  the  man  or  woman  who  wants  fish, 
and  it  yields  fish  too,  in  many  cases  more  than  the  artistic 
methods  of  the  fly-caster  or  the  strenuous  methods  of  the 
bait-caster.  There  is  scarcely  a  person  who  cannot  enjoy  a 
day's  fishing  for  "sunnies"  with  a  cane  pole  and  can  of  worms, 
and  how  many  are  there  who  have  not,  when  a  boy,  spent 
many  a  day  idling  on  the  river's  bank,  watching  the  cork 
float ;  and  then  remember  if  you  can  the  pleasures  you  exper- 
ienced when  the  cork  did  its  acrobatic  feat  and  dived  beneath 
the  water,  how  you  pulled  the  rod  from  its  rests  and  hauled 
the  flapping  prize  on  shore,  swinging  it  far  overhead  lest  it 
fall  off  into  the  water  and  escape!  And  sometimes  when 
you  drew  the  fish  to  the  surface  but  the  hook  failed  to  catch, 
how  greatly  magnified  that  fish  appeared  to  be  as  he  turned 
over  and  you  got  a  fleeting  picture  of  his  gleaming  si(le ! 
Nobody  could  have  made  you  believe  that  the  small  fish  that 
you  caught  a  few  minutes  later  was  the  same  one  that  you 
had  lost — it  was  much  larger  than  that  one.  And  you 
believed  you  were  perfectly  honest  and  truthful  in  your  story 
of  "the  big  one  that  got  away." 

But  regardless  of  your  purpose,  whether  for  sport  or 
fish,  it  is  fish  that  you  want  to  take  home  with  you,  and 
what  you  want  to  know  is  how  to  get  them.  There  is 
much  in  knowing  what  tackle  to  use  and  how  to  use  it ; 
in  knowing  the  habits  of  the  fish,  what  they  feed  on,  and 
where  they  mav  be  found.  Let  the  old  hands  say  what  they 
like  about  learning  from  experience  —  we  know  it  is  the 
best  way  —  but  it  is  a  fact  too  evident  to  be  disputed  that 
if  the  novice  can  read  a  good  work  on  fishing,  he  can  learn 


REMARKS  ON  THE  "GENTLE  ART."  19 

much  that  would  require  years  of  experience  to  teach  him. 
New  methods  of  fishing  are  taking  the  place  of  the  old  and 
new  kinds  of  tackle  is  being  invented  almost  every  day,  and 
unless  one  is  satisfied  with  his  "luck"  and  content  to  fish 
in  the  same  locality  with  which  he  has  become  fafm'liar,  he 
should  not  depend  on  observation  and  experience  alone.  The 
purpose  of  this  book  is  to  teach  you  how  to  catch  fish. 
It  is  my  aim  to  give  most  attention  to  the  common  fishes, 
those  that  are  well  distributed  throughout  the  country  and 
are  considered  of  most  importance,  either  because  they  offer 
the  most  sport,  or  because  of  their  value  as  food-fishes.  The 
black  bass  in  particular,  being  the  finest  game  fish  of  the 
fresh  waters,  and  being  distributed  over  a  very  large  part  of 
North  America  is  a  fish  of  the  utmost  importance.  As  a 
game  fish,  the  speckled  trout  comes  next,  being  one  of  the 
fighting  kind  and  found  only  in  the  clear  cold  waters.  Its 
distribution  is  even  wider  than  that  of  the  black  bass.  Then 
there  is  the  savage  muskellunge,  the  fresh  water  shark  of  the 
North ;  it  is  important  because  of  its  size  and  fighting  pro- 
clivities. Even  the  most  common  fishes  of  the  central  ana 
eastern  sections  are  of  importance,  because  of  their  abundance 
and  the  fact  that  they  are  found  in  the  thickly  settled  portions 
of  the  country  and  are  therefore  valued  by  those  who  cannot 
go  far  from  home  to  fish,  and  those  who  prefer  the  quiet  bait- 
fishing.  Such  fish  are  the  carp,  sucker,  catfish  and  the  var- 
ious kinds  of  sunfish. 

Fishing  will  offer  sport  to  the  outdoor  lovers  long  after 
the  game  birds  and  animals  have  become  so  rare  that  they 
no  longer  will  be  sought  by  sportsmen,  if  that  time  ever 
comes.  The  conservation  of  the  fish  supply  only  needs  the 
support  of  the  public,  for  if  nature  is  given  a  chance  she 
will  keep  up  the  supply.  Laws  protecting  the  more  valuable 
fish  for  a  part  of  each  year,  and  prohibiting  the  use  of  un- 
sportsmanlike methods  of  fishing  should  be  encouraged  and 
supported  by  the  public,  instead  of  being  broken  as  is  too 


20 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


often  the  case  by  fishing  during  closed  season,  using  dynamite 
which  kills  hundreds  of  small  fish,  fishing  with  seines,  and 
like  methods.  The  public  can  do  much  towards  preserving 
the  fish  supply,  in  fact  the  whole  matter  rests  with  the 
people.  Let  us  each  one  do  our  part  well. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Rods. 

N  all  the  angler's  outfit  there  is  no  other 
article  so  important  as  the  rod,  and  when 
a  true  angler  has  found  one  that  is  just 
right  for  his  particular  kind  of  fishing 
he  cares  for  it  as  tenderly  as  the  sports- 
man gunner  cares  for  his  fine,  high-priced 
firearms,  and  has  a  greater  regard  for  it. 
This  is  but  natural,  and  a  fine  fishing  rod, 
especially  the  light  and  resilient  fly-rod,  cannot  fairly  be 
compared  with  a  firearm,  or  other  sporting  equipment.  A 
gun  in  the  hands  of  a  hunter  becomes  only  the  means  by 
which  the  end  is  attained,  but  the  fishing  rod  in  the  hands 
of  the  angler  is  something  more  —  it  is,  when  in  use,  as  a  part 
of  himself,  seemingly  like  an  extension  of  his  arm,  and  he 
uses  it  as  though  it  were  a  portion  of  that  member,  and 
not  a  separate  and  inanimate  article. 

Of  course  there  are  rods  and  rods,  from  the  beautiful 
four  ounce  fly  rod  costing  a  whole  pocketful  of  money  to  the 
humble  cane  rod  used  in  still  fishing  and  costing  only  a  few 
cents.  Naturally  the  choice  of  rod  depends  on  the  style 
of  fishing  that  it  is  needed  for  and  the  kind  of  fish  that 
it  is  expected  to  take. 

Many  kinds  of  native  woods  have  been  experimented 
with  but  for  light  rods  nothing  has  been  found  equal  to 
the  woods  imported  for  this  purpose,  and  commonly  used. 
Of  all  solid  wood  rods  those  made  of  lancewood  are  most 
common  in  this  country.  They  are  cheaper  than  others  and 
the  wood  is  lighter  than  bethabara  and  greenheart,  also  softer. 

21 


22  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

but  it  is  a  very  good  wood.  Greenheart  is  an  excellent  wood, 
more  pliant  than  lancewood  and  also  harder  and  heavier. 
It  is  not  used  in  this  -ountry  as  much  as  lancewood,  and 
it  is  said  that  for  some  reason  good  greenheart  cannot  be 
imported,  or  if  it  is,  it  gets  bad  here  in  our  climate.  Of 
this  I  do  not  know,  but  greenheart  is  the  favorite  rod  wood  in 
England  and  the  English  greenheart  rods  are  fine  ones, 
though  heavier  than  the  American  rods,  usually.  Bethabara 
is  a  fine  wood  but  is  not  so  common.  It  is  more  resilient 
than  either  of  the  others.  The  wood  is  dark  colored  and 
very  hard  and  close  grained.  It  is  very  strong  and  springy 
and  makes  excellent  rods.  Another  wood  used  by  a  Canadian 
firm  is  called  kaliki.  This  is  a  native  wood,  coming  from 
British  Columbia.  It  is-  said  to  make  very  good  rods. 

Those  who  use  solid  wood  rods  are  divided  into  as  many 
classes  as  there  are  kinds  of  wood  and  each  defends  valiantly 
the  wood  of  his  choice,  but  the  users  of  wood  rods  are  in  the 
minority.  The  largest  number  of  anglers  in  this  country 
pin  their  faith  to  the  built-up  rod  of  Calcutta  bamboo. 
These  rods  have  each  section  made  of  six  triangular  strips 
of  bamboo,  fitted  perfectly  their  entire  length  and  glued 
together  so  that  they  form  a  six-sided  strip,  with  the  hard 
outside  part  of  the  bamboo  on  the  outside  of  the  stick. 
After  gluing  the  wood  is  wound  tightly  with  a  cord  and  when 
dry  the  ferrules  are  fitted  and  the  sticks  are  wound  at  close 
intervals  with  silk  thread.  This  makes  a  rod  much  stronger 
than  any  solid  wood  rod  and  it  is  exceedingly  springy  and 
casts  accurately.  But  it  will  be  seen  that  such  a  rod,  if 
faithfully  made  requires  a  lot  of  labor  and  this  naturally 
makes  it  expensive.  Carefully  made,  of  first  class  materials 
it  makes  the  best  kind  of  rod  for  any  kind  of  fishing  that 
money  can  buy,  but  if  poorly  constructed  or  made  of  second 
grade  material  it  is  likely  to  prove  less  worthy  than  the 
solid  wood  rod.  For  this  reason  it  is  advised  that  when  the 
purchaser  can  afford  to  pay  well  for  a  rod  he  get  the  split 


RODS.  23 

bamboo,  but  if  he  cannot  put  plenty  of  money  into  it  he  will 
be  wise  to  select  a  solid  wood  rod,  for  he  is  more  likely  to  get 
a  good  greenheart  or  lancewood  rod  at  from  three  to  five 
dollars  than  a  good  split  bamboo  at  twice  as  much. 

The  illustration  showing  the  construction  of  a  split 
bamboo  rod  and  the  cross  section  of  bamboo  and  wood  rods 
shows  plainly  why  a  built  up  rod,  if  well  made,  is  stronger 
than  a  solid  wood  rod.  In  the  bamboo  rod  the  grain  parallels 
the  center  on  every  side.  For  this  reason  it  must  have  equal 
strength  and  backbone,  and  the  same  action,  no  matter  which 
way  it  is  turned.  In  addition  to  this  the  material  composing 
it  is  harder  and  stronger  than  any  wood.  The  solid  wood 
rod  has  the  grain  running  directly  across  the  strip,  all  in 


Construction  of  Split  Bamboo  and  Solid  Wood  Rods. 

the  same  direction  as  shown.  It  is  bound  to  be  unequal  in 
action  as  the  rod  is  turned,  and  less  strong  than  the  bamboo. 
One  New  York  City  firm  is  making  rods  of  what  is 
called  steel  vine.  They  claim  it  to  be  a  very  strong  material 
and  the  rods  are  built  up  of  six  strips,  the  same  as  the  bam- 
boo, but  are  rounded  afterwards  instead  of  being  left  in 
the  hexagonal  form. 

The  only  other  rod  material  of  importance  is  steel.  Steel 
rods  are  in  general  use  and  quite  popular  for  bait  fishing. 
Steel  is  especially  well  liked  for  the  short  rods  made  for 
the  new  style  bait-casting.  The  greatest  advantage  of  the 
steel  rod  is  that  it  does  not  warp  or  set,  but  always  hangs 
true.  Steel  rods  are  of  course  hollow  but  for  all  of  that  they 
are  heavier  than  other  rods,  usually.  They  will  stand  more 
abuse  than  any  other  rod. 


24  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

For  fresh  water  fishing  there  are  two  distinct  types  of 
rod,  namely,  the  bait  rod  and  the  fly  rod.  Their  difference 
is  in  length  and  weight  and  the  position  of  the  reel  seat. 
Bait  rods  are  shorter,  stiffer,  and  heavier  than  fly  rods,  and 
have  the  reel  seat  above  the  handle  where  the  spool  of  the 
reel  can  be  controlled  in  casting,  for  bait-casting  is  done 
from  the  reel,  that  is,  the  weight  of  the  bait  or  its  momentum, 
draws  the  line  from  the  reel.  The  fly  rod  has  the  reel  seat 
below  the  hand  grasp,  for  in  fly-casting  the  line  is  not  cast 
from  the  reel  but  is  drawn  off  and  controlled  by  hand.  With 
the  reel  below  the  hand  the  rod  balances  nicer  and  is  less 
tiring. 

Bait  and  fly  rods  usually  consist  of  three  sections.  The 
first  is  called  the  butt  section,  the  next  the  second  joint,  and 
the  smallest  piece  is  usually  called  the  tip,  but  as  there  is  a 
line  guide  on  the  end  of  this  piece  called  a  tip  also  this  is 
likely  to  cause  confusion.  The  English  people  call  the  small- 
est section  the  "top." 

These  sections  are  fitted  with  ferrules  so  that  they  may  be 
fastened  together.  These  are  of  two  pieces  known  respec- 
tively as  the  male  and  female  ferrules.  The  male  ferrule  is 
the  smaller  and  fits  into  the  other.  The  end  of  the  male 
ferrule  is  solid  so  that  water  cannot  reach  the  wood,  and 
the  female  ferrule,  at  the  bottom,  has  a  metal  floor  for  the 
same  purpose.  Some  rods  have  tapered  dowels  in  the  ferrules 
but  this  is  not  generally  considered  a  good  idea  and  is  going 
out  of  use.  The  ferrules  are  made  of  brass,  usually  nickel 
plated,  or  of  German  silver.  The  English  give  the  ferrules 
a  dark  color  by  oxidizing,  which  is  a  good  idea.  In  a  well 
made  rod  the  ferrules  should  fit  over  the  wood  which  should 
not  be  cut  down  for  the  purpose,  and  they  should  be  cemented 
to  the  wood  but  not  pinned,  as  they  are  sometimes.  The  base 
of  the  ferrule  is  wound  with  silk  thread  and  the  most  im- 
proved styles  are  split  at  the  base  (split  ferrules)  or  cut 
into  long  points  (serrated  ferrules),  and  the  wrapping  is  put 


SOLDCRLCSS   TUO-R/HG 


CHHZ^j)     (Qj—  —  ^^ 


CLCVATCD  ff'VC  AGATE  ^ff  ^pf  ^ 


COMMON  TIC 


TU/STCD  HI  PC 


CL  T  VA  TCD  BAND  A6A  TC  GCHMAN  SILVER  CASTING 


SNAKC    RIH6 


V£D  CCHflA  N  5IL  VLK  CA  5  TING 


Various  Styles  of  Line  Guides. 
25 


26  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

over  these  cuts.  The  highest  grade  have  a  rib  around  the 
edge  of  the  female  ferrule,  called  a  welt. 

As  mentioned  before  the  rods  are  wound  at  intervals 
with  fine  silk  thread.  This  is  to  strengthen  and  stiffen  the 
rod.  The  line  guides  are  also  fastened  on  by  wrapping. 

Line  guides  are  made  in  many  patterns  and  the  illus- 
tration given  here  shows  the  most  common  kinds.  For  fly 
rods  the  ring  and  keeper  guides  are  used  much,  especially  on 
the  cheaper  grades,  but  small,  light  standing  guides,  especially 
the  snake  guides  are  better,  as  the  line  runs  more  freely  and 
casts  better.  Many  fishermen  have  the  first  guide,  the  one 
next  the  reel,  of  agate,  or  to  be  exact,  a  metal  guide  with 
an  agate  lining.  Agate  is  very  hard  and  smooth,  does  r.ot 
wear  the  enamel  off  the  line  and  in  turn  is  not  worn  by 
the  friction  of  the  line.  Offering  less  resistance  to  the  line 
it  enables  the  user  to  cast  farther. 

The  end  guide  on  the  end  of  the  tip  joint,  which  as  I 
explained  before  is  also  called  a  tip,  should  be  a  simple  ring 
on  a  fly  rod,  but  is  best  if  lined  with  agate  as  it  will  cast 
better  and  will  not  harm  the  line.  Those  that  are  bent  to 
one  side  so  that  they  offer  no  resistance  to  the  line  are 
best.  It  is  not  necessary  or  advisable  to  have  the  other 
guides  of  agate  on  a  fly  rod,  but  on  a  bait-casting  rod  this  is 
advised  if  you  care  to  go  to  the  expense.  Anyway  on  a 
bait-casting  rod  it  is  generally  conceded  best  to  have  large 
guides  and  tip,  while  on  a  fly  rod  they  should  be  small  and 
light. 

The  part  of  the  butt  section  that  is  held  in  the  hand 
is  called  the  grip,  grasp  or  handle.  On  a  solid  wood  rod 
it  is  usually  a  part  of  the  butt  joint,  simply  an  enlargement, 
and  may  be  plain  wood,  cork  or  celluloid,  and  many  are 
wound  with  hard  twine  or  split  cane.  They  are  all  good 
and  the  angler  may  take  his  choice  though  most  of  them 
choose  cork,  especially  for  a  fly  rod,  as  it  will  not  slip 


VARIOUS    STYLES   OF   ROD    TIPS. 

1 — Nickel,  Double-Hole;  2 — Single-Hole  Tube;  3 — German 
Silver,  One-Ring  ;  4 — Stirrup  Casting  ;  5 — Spiral  Casting  ;  6 — 
Three-Ring;  7 — Offset  Stirrup;  8 — Light  Casting;  9 — German 
Silver  Helper  Casting;  10 — Three  Ring  Adamant;  11 — Light- 
weight Agate;  12 — Hand-Made  Stirrup  Agate;  13 — Narrow 
Agate  Angle;  14 — Agate  Casting;  15 — Agate  Offset  or  Fly;  16  — 
Offset  Agate  Casting;  17 — Special  Agate  Casting;  18 — Adamant 
Casting. 

27 


28 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


and  is  not  likely  to  cramp  the  hand,  also  is  very  light  and 
durable. 

As  stated  before  the  reel  seat  of  a  fly  rod  is  located 
below  the  grip  and  that  of  a  bait  rod  above.  The  reel  seat  is 
usually  of  metal  to  match  the  ferrules  and  has  two  raised 
ribs  to  hold  the  reel  from  slipping.  At  one  end  is  a  fixed 


ROD  HANDLES. 

1 — Cork  Grip  Fly  Rod ;  2 — Cane-Wound  Grip  Bait  Rod  ;  3 — 
Double  Cork  Grip,  Bait-Casting  Rod ;  4 — Casting  rod  with  Shap- 
ed Wood  Grip  and  Finger-Hook  Reel  Band. 

band  under  which  the  end  of  the  reel  base  is  slipped  and  a 
movable  band  is  drawn  over  the  other  end  of  the  base  to 
fasten  it  in  place.  On  some  reel  seats  the  band  locks  in 
place  by  means  of  grooves.  Some  rods  have  a  place  bedded 
m  the  wood  for  the  reel  base,  and  have  the  bands  only  in- 
stead of  the  metal  reel  seat,  and  this  is  preferred  by  many. 
This  is  the  Britisher's  idea. 


RODS.  29 

The  butt  of  the  American  rods  is  finished  with  a  metal 
cap,  but  the  English  rods  have  a  large  rubber  knob  or  button 
on  the  end  of  the  butt  and  this  adds  much  to  the  appearance 
of  the  rod. 

All  wood  or  split  bamboo  rods  must  be  varnished  to  keep 
the  water  from  penetrating  the  wood.  Steel  rods  are 
enameled. 

To  catch  bottom  feeding  fish,  such  as  carp,  bullheads, 
suckers,  perch,  and  other  fish  of  that  kind,  all  that  is  needed 
is  a  long  cane  pole,  and  it  is  better  for  that  kind  of  fishing 
than  any  other  rod.  No  reel  is  needed,  for  the  line  is  tied 
directly  to  the  rod.  Other  rods  may  be  used  though  for 
this  kind  of  work,  and  a  jointed  rod  is  always  more  conve- 
nient for  carrying.  A  nice  four-piece  Calcutta  bamboo  rod, 
about  sixteen  feet  long,  may  be  purchased  for  a  dollar  or  a 
little  more  perhaps,  in  our  eastern  cities,  and  better  ones 
up  to  two  and  a  half  dollars.  These  have  line  guides  and 
reel  bands.  Jointed  cane  rods  of  ten  or  twelve  feet  may 
be  purchased  for  fifty  cents.  Or  you  can  buy  a  jointed  plain 
wood  rod,  and  if  you  like  you  may  buy  the  trimmings  and 
make  the  rod  yourself,  as  explained  elsewhere  in  this  book. 

For  fishing  with  minnow  bait  for  bass  and  such  fish  a 
three-piece  bait  rod  is  used.  This  has  always  been  a  favorite 
style  of  fishing  for  such  game  fish  as  take  the  live  minnow  or 
small  frog.  For  this  use  the  Henshall  pattern  rod  has  always 
been  a  favorite.  This  may  be  of  steel,  of  split  and  glued 
bamboo,  or  of  solid  wood  such  as  lancewood,  greenheart  or 
bethabara. 

The  Henshall  bass  rod  is  eight  feet,  three  inches  long, 
and  weighs  eight  ounces  with  solid  metal  reel  seat,  and  seven 
and  one-half  ounces  when  made  with  reel  bands  only,  which 
was  the  way  Dr.  Henshall  preferred  it.  The  standard  rod 
of  this  style  was  made  of  three  pieces,  the  butt  of  white  ash 
and  the  other  two  joints  of  lancewood.  Another  rod  fav- 
ored by  this  great  fisherman  and  originated  by  him  was  of 


30 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


split  bamboo,  eight  feet,  one  inch  in  length  and  of  a  weight 
of  six  and  a  half  ounces..  The  steel  rod  is  eight  feet,  six 
inches  long  and  weighs  ten  ounces.  All  fishing  tackle  deal- 
ers sell  such  rods. 

In  late  years  the  casting  of  artificial  baits  with  a  short, 
stiff  rod,  by  the  overhead  cast,  has  become  a  very  popular 
way  of  fishing  for  bass  and  such  fish.  The  bait-casting  rod 
for  this  kind  of  work  should  be  between  four  and  a  half  and 
nx  feet  long,  but  the  best  length  seems  to  be  about  five 


Three-Piece  Bait-Casting  Rod  and  Three-Piece  Steel  Bait-Cast- 
ing- Rod  with  Detachable  Handle. 

feet.  The  rule  is  to  use  a  short  rod  for  the  heavy  artificial 
baits  and  for  the  lighter  lures  a  longer  rod  may  be  used,  but  a 
long  rod  of  seven  or  eight  feet  could  not  be  used  for  this 
kind  of  casting. 

The  material  of  the  bait-casting  rod  may  be  either  solid 
wood,  steel,  or  split  bamboo.  Some  anglers  prefer  the  solid 
wood  rod,  others  like  the  steel  rod  best,  and  many  swear 
by  the  split  bamboo. 

The  rod  may  be  of  one,  two  or  three  pieces.  A  one- 
piece  rod  is  best  in  real  use  but  too  unhandy  in  transpor- 


RODS.  31 

tation.  A  joint  in  a  rod  either  weakens  it  there  or  makes 
a  stiff  and  inactive  place,  but  when  it  comes  to  choice  of 
the  two  evils  the  sensible  person  always  chooses  the  lesser, 
and  in  this  case  it  is  the  joints.  A  rod  that  is  made  in 
two  pieces  has  a  joint  at  the  part  where  the  greatest  strain 
comes,  providing  that  the  joint  is  in  the  middle  of  the  rod, 
but  the  best  two-piece  rods  have  the  joint  below  the  middle 
so  that  the  tip  section  is  considerably  longer  than  the  butt 
section  and  these  are  almost  equal  to  a  one-piece  rod  in  action. 
Perhaps  the  most  convenient  of  all  is  the  three-piece  rod, 
and  all  things  considered,  it  is  to  be  preferred  by  the  aver- 
age fisherman. 

A  bait-casting  rod  may  have  any  kind  of  handle  desired 
and  of  any  material,  but  solid  cork  is  probably  best  as  it  is 
soft  and  light,  gives  a  good  grip  without  tiring  the  hand, 
and  is  durable.  Beware  of  the  cork  handle  that  has  a  sheet 
of  cork  veneered  on  the  outside  of  a  wood  core ;  it  will  loosen 
and  come  off  in  time.  Such  a  grip  may  be  improved  by  wind- 
ing it  closely  with  hard  twine  or  fishing  line.  The  shape  of 
the  handle  may  be  as  you  like,  and  the  rod  may  have  a  single 
or  double  grasp,  whichever  you  prefer. 

On  a  bait-casting  rod  the  reel  seat  is  above  the  grasp,  or 
between  them  if  it  has  a  double  grasp.  It  is  well  if  the  reel 
band  has  some  method  of  locking  in  place  so  that  it  cannot 
slip,  for  in  bait-casting  the  regular  reel  band  of  the  live  bait 
or  fly  rod  is  likely  to  slip,  because  of  the  different  way  ot 
casting.  Some  makers  attach  a  finger  hook  to  the  reel  band 
but  this,  while  used  universally  a  few  years  ago,  is  now  going 
out  of  use. 

The  line  guides  and  tip  should  be  of  agate,  anyway  of 
very  hard  metal,  and  of  fair  size  so  that  there  is  no  ten- 
dency to  bind,  but  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  very  large  guides 
and  tips  are  the  best,  as  they  offer  more  chance  for  the  line 
to  become  entangled  in  them.  They  should  stand  up  away 
irom  the  rod  so  that  the  wet  line  will  not  cling  to  it. 


32  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

In  weight  the  bait-casting  rod  should  not  exceed  eight 
ounces,  and  should  be  lighter,  but,  of  course,  there  is  a 
limit  in  this  direction.  Split  bamboo  rods  may  be  lighter 
than  any  others,  and  a  rod  of  five  and  a  half  or  six  feet 
should  weigh  just  that  many  ounces.  A  solid  wood  rod 
would  be  somewhat  heavier,  perhaps  an  ounce  average,  and  a 
steel  rod  is  even  heavier  than  one  of  wood. 

The  action  of  a  bait-casting  rod  at  the  best  is  nothing  to 
speak  of,  but  where  there  is  a  difference  choose  the  one  that 
has  the  most  life  and  snap  to  it.  One  could  not  expect 
much  action  in  a  five  and  a  half  foot  rod,  however,  and  for 


Fly  Rod  (upper)  and  Bait  Rod  (lower). 

that  reason  many  of  the  old-time  anglers  who  are  accustomed 
to  the  longer  bait  rod  do  not  take  kindly  to  the  newer, 
short,  stiff  affair  now  so  much  used.  It  is  certain  that  there 
is  less  pleasure  in  playing  and  handling  a  fish  with  a  bait- 
casting  rod,  but  longer  and  more  accurate  casts  can  be 
made  with  it. 

Bait-casting  rods  vary  in  price,  naturally,  and  one  can 
pay  just  about  what  he  can  afford,  or  what  he  chooses.  Of 
course  the  more  you  pay  the  better  the  article  you  get.  A 
bait-casting  rod  may  be  secured  for  the  sum  of  one  dollar 
that  will  give  good  service,  but  the  best  cost  from  twenty  to 
thirty  dollars.  Very  good  wood  rods  may  be  purchased  at 


RODS.  33 

from  three  to  five  dollars;  split  bamboo  comes  much  higher. 
Good  steel  rods  cost  five  dollars  or  more. 

But  if  the  bait-casting  rod  is  a  mechanical  fish-killer  the 
light  and  graceful  fly  rod  is  the  very  opposite.  It  is  the 
aristocratic  angler's  tool,  and,  of  course,  is  adapted  to  an 
entirely  different  class  of  fishing. 

Fly  rods  are  made  of  the  same  materials  as  bait  rods, 
but  here  the  selection  of  material  is  of  even  greater  impor- 
tance. Split  bamboo  is  the  best  yet,  but  solid  wood  rods  are 
also  used  considerably  though  not  as  much  so  as  at  one  time. 
Greenheart  is  the  favorite  wood  in  England  and  beautiful 
rods  are  made  of  it,  but  the  English  ideas  of  fly-casting  are 
not  exactly  the  same  as  ours  and  therefore  greenheart  is  not 
so  popular  in  our  own  country,  though  a  favorite  in  Canada. 
Lancewood  is  more  used  here  and  is  a  very  good  material, 
but  the  best  of  solid  woods  is  bethabara  or  noibe  wood, 
which  is  only  selected  bethabara.  But  split  bamboo  is  the 
universal  favorite  because  of  its  greater  strength,  which 
allows  the  rod  to  be  made  lighter,  and  this  is  of  the  greatest 
importance. 

Fly  rods  for  trout  and  bass  should  be  of  a  length  from 
eight  to  eleven  feet,  but  nine  and  a  half  or  ten  feet  is  about 
the  standard.  Lighter  rods  may  be  used  to  fish  for  trout  in 
lakes  than  in  streams,  for  there  they  are  somewhat  less 
active  and  do  not  have  a  current  to  help  them  out  in  fighting. 
For  lake  fishing  the  longer  rods  may  also  be  used.  In  bass 
rods  there  is  less  latitude  in  choice  and  a  slightly  heavier 
rod  than  for  trout  is  recommended.  For  catching  the  smaller 
trout  in  small  mountain  streams  extremely  light  rods  are 
sometimes  used.  The  lightest  rods  made  weigh  only  one  and 
three-fourths  ounces,  or  a  trifle  more,  and  are  seven  feet 
long. 

These  rods  are  very  delicate,  however,  and  should  only 
be  used  by  experts.  For  general  trout  fishing  a  split  bamboo 


34  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

rod  ten  feet  long,  weighing  about  five  and  a  half  ounces,  is 
right,  and  for  black  bass  it  should  weigh  six  ounces,  or  a 
little  more,  especially  where  the  fish  run  fairly  heavy  or  are 
found  in  rapid  streams.  Solid  wood  rods  should  be  from  a 
half  ounce  to  an  ounce  heavier. 

German  silver  ring  and  keeper  guides  were  formerly 
furnished  on  nearly  all  fly  rods,  especially  the  cheaper  ones, 
but  now  the  snake  guides  are  used  more  and  they  are  the 
best  metal  guides,  as  they  are  always  in  position  for  the 
line  to  run  through  without  binding.  The  tip  should  always 
be  of  agate,  the  small  offset  kind,  as  the  friction  here  and 
the  sharp  angle  of  the  line  causes  the  enamel  to  wear  off 
quickly.  For  the  same  reason  the  first  guide  above  the  reel 
should  be  of  agate,  but  it  should  be  small.  It  is  not  neces- 


A  Salmon  P^ly  Rod. 

sary  that  the  other  guides  be  of  agate  as  the  line  runs  straight 
through  them,  and  agate  would  add  to  the  weight  of  the  rod. 

In  fly  fishing,  unless  the  automatic  reel  is  used,  nearly 
all  anglers  retrieve  the  line  by  hand  and  the  reel  takes  no 
part  in  the  playing  of  the  fish.  It  merely  holds  the  line  that 
is  not  in  use.  This  way  of  handling  the  line  throws  quite  an 
angle  in  it  where  it  enters  the  first  guide,  and  as  a  conse- 
quence the  line  wears  rapidly  unless  an  agate  guide  is  used. 
As  an  agate  guide  will  only  make  your  rod  cost  about  fifty 
cents  more  and  a  new  fly  line  will  cost  anywhere  from  one 
dollar  to  three  and  a  half,  or  perhaps  more,  it  will  be  readily 
seen  that  an  agate  first  guide  is  cheapest. 

German  silver,  bronzed,  or  oxidized  ferrules  are  best  in 
the  opinion  of  many  fly  fishers,  as  they  say  the  flashy  nickel- 


RODS.  35 

plated  ones  will  frighten  the  fish,  and  I  do  not  doubt  that 
the  brook  trout  will  be  frightened  by  them  sometimes,  yet  it 
doesn't  seem  that  this  would  make  so  very  much  difference. 
The  greatest  objection  to  nickel  plate  is  that  it  wears  off  and 
exposes  to  view  the  brass  that  it  covers. 

The  livelier  and  more  active  a  fly  rod  is  the  better  it  will 
cast.  A  rather  stiff  rod  is  generally  preferred,  especially  a 
stiff  first  and  second  section.  If  you  know  what  a  rod  should 
be  you  can  soon  pick  out  a  perfect  one  if  you  have  an  oppor- 
tunity to  try  them,  and  that  is  the  way  to  buy  if  you  are 
convenient  to  a  sporting  goods  store.  Try  switching  the  rod 
as  in  casting  and  if  there  is  a  weak  spot  in  it  you  can  readily 


A  Two-Piece  Split   Bamboo  Salt-water  Rod  and  a  Solid  Wood 
Rod  in  Two  Sections  with  Removable  Butt. 

feel  it.  Hold  the  rod  out  by  the  butt  and  sight  along  it  to 
see  how  evenly  it  droops,  then  turn  it  slowly  and  see  whether 
the  droop  changes,  which  it  should  not.  Then  attach  a  line 
and  see  how  the  rod  bends;  also  see  that  the  joints  line  up 
well  one  with  another. 

As  before  intimated,  the  length  and  weight  of  rod  should 
be  governed  by  the  kind  of  fishing  and  the  character  of  the 
waters  to  be  fished.  Where  the  streams  are  swift  and  brush 
dense  along  the  banks,  and  the  trout  or  bass  of  varying  size, 
as  is  usually  the  case  in  streams,  the  rod  should  be  of  only 
about  eight  and  a  half  feet.  An  ideal,  all-around,  fly  rod 
v/ould  be  of  six  strip  split  (not  sawed)  bamboo,  carefully 


36  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

fitted  and  hand-made  throughout;  length  ten  feet;  weight 
six  and  one-half  ounces.  It  should  have  a  solid  cork  grasp 
and  reel  bands  only;  standing  snake  guides  of  bronzed  steel 
or  other  hard,  rust  proof  metal,  the  first  guide  a  small 
agate  and  a  small  agate,  angle  tip,  like  No.  13  in  the  illustra- 
tion of  tips.  The  ferrules  should  be  oxidized,  as  well  as  all 
metal  parts ;  they  should  be  waterproof,  with  serrated  base, 
and  welted  edge;  cemented  but  not  pinned.  I  prefer  green 
or  orange  and  black  wrappings,  but  that  is  immaterial.  The 
highest  grade  elastic  varnish  should  be  used. 

Such  a  rod  will  answer  for  trout  or  bass  fishing  in  any 
and  all  waters  and  will  be  all  right  to  use  with  worms  or  a 
small  spinner.  It  will  do  for  any  kind  of  surface  feeding 
fish,  if  not  too  large. 


Agate  Tip  for  Salt  water  Rod. 

American  made  salmon  fly  rods  run  in  length  from  four- 
teen to  sixteen  feet,  and  in  weights  from  eighteen  to  thirty- 
two  ounces.  They  are  used  with  both  hands  and  have  double 
grasp,  one  above  and  one  below  the  reel  seat.  They  are 
usually  made  of  split  bamboo  but  solid  wood  is  also  used. 
In  detail  they  are  the  same  as  trout  and  bass  fly  rods. 

The  strongest  rods  are  those  used  for  fishing  in  salt- 
water, for  such  fish  as  tarpon,  tuna,  yellowtail,  etc.  All  kinds 
of  rod  woods  and  split  bamboo  are  used.  Such  rods  are 
always  short  and  stout,  ranging  in  length  from  five  to  seven 
and  one-half  feet  and  weighing  from  ten  to  twenty-four 
ounces,  depending  on  the  kind  of  fish  they  are  to  be  used 
for.  They  may  be  of  two  sections  with  removable  butt ;  two 


RODS.  37 

pieces  with  solid  butt  and  one  piece  with  detachable  butt. 
The  latter  is  always  best  for  heavy  fish,  though  more  difficult 
to  transport.  These  rods  usually  have  cane-wound  handles 
with  a  short  cane-wound  section  above  the  reel  seat,  for  they 
must  be  used  with  two  hands.  They  are  fitted  with  double 
trumpet  or  bell-shaped  guides,  so  that  the  line  may  be 
changed  from  side  to  side  to  prevent  warping  the  rod.  The 
tip  is  preferably  of  agate  and  of  the  double  hole  pattern. 
The  illustration  shows  such  a  tip  in  full  size  and  gives  an 
idea  of  the  size  of  such  a  rod.  The  ferrules,  in  jointed  rods, 
are  welted,  for  sake  of  strength,  and  the  joints  are  doweled, 
as  a  rule. 

For  surf  fishing  for  drum,  striped  bass  and  such  salt- 
water fishes  a  rod  of  seven  to  nine  feet,  weighing  eighteen 
or  twenty  ounces,  is  used.  It  should  be  stiff  and  have  great 
strength  and  springiness.  Guides  and  tip  should  be  of  agate. 
A  long  cane-wound  handle  is  usually  chosen  though  the 
spring  butt  is  much  used  now.  It  is  a  long,  springy  butt- 
piece  with  a  cane-wound  grip  at  each  end. 

The  proper  tackle  to  use  for  the  different  sea  fishes  is 
given  elsewhere. 

Nearly  all  rods  are  accompanied  by  an  extra  tip  section 
to  use  in  case  one  gives  out.  Fly  rods  and  fine  bait  rods  are 
usually  put  up  on  a  grooved  wood  form  so  they  will  not  be 
injured.  Others  are  put  in  a  leather  case,  and  still  other? 
in  partitioned  cloth  bags. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Reels. 

SING  a  reel  for  lengthening  and  shortening 
the  line  has  been  practiced  since  the  beginning 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  maybe  longer,  for 
Izaak  Walton  speaks  of  the  reel  in  his  "Com- 
plete Angler,"  though  he  does  not  appear  to  be 
well  acquainted  with  it,  and  probably  never  used 
one  himself.  The  "wheel"  used  at  that  time  was 
a  simple,  single  action  reel,  and  these  same  single  action 
reels  are  the  only  kind  used  in  England  today.  They  are 
also  used  in  this  country  for  fly  fishing.  The  multiplying 
reel  is  all  American. 

The  single  action  fly  reel  is  the  simplest  form  of  fishing 
reel  that  can  be  made.  It  consists  of  two  side  plates,  held 
together  by  means  of  five  pillars — one  at  the  top,  one  at  each 
side  and  two  at  the  bottom.  These  two  bottom  pillars  "are 
attached  to  the  base  which  holds  the  reel  to  the  rod.  On 
cheap  reels  these  pillars  may  be  riveted,  but  on  all  the  better 
grades  they  are  screwed.  Ordinarily  they  are  placed  near  the 
edge  of  the  circular  plates,  but  sometimes  are  fastened  into 
extensions  of  the  edges,  and  these  are  called  raised  pillar 
reels.  This  forms  the  framework.  In  the  center  is  the 
spool,  which  is  a  spindle  with  disc-shaped  ends,  not  unlike 
a  thread  spool,  and  it  turns  freely  between  the  side  plates. 
An  extension  of  this  spindle  projecting  through  the  right 
side  plate  is  fitted  with  a  crank  and  handle.  The  line  is 
fastened  to  the  spool,  a  little  hole  being  placed  there  for 
tying,  and  it  is  wound  up  by  turning  the  handle.  That  is 
the  reel  in  its  simplest  form. 

38 


REELS. 


39 


The  balance  handle  is  supposed  to  be  an  improvement. 
It  is  simply  a  double  length  crank  with  a  handle  at  one  end 
and  a  weight  at  the  other.  It  was  designed  to  make  the 
spool  run  more  freely,  but  why  it  should  be  placed  on  a  fly 
reel  is  a  mystery  to  me,  for  the  line  is  never  cast  from  the 


Single    Action    Click    Reel,    Rubber,    With    Protected,    Balance 

Handle. 


reel.  One  thing  is  in  its  favor  — it  gives  the  reel  a  more 
artistic  appearance;  but  it  is  likely  to  entangle  the  line.  All 
good  reels  of  this  pattern  have  the  edge  of  the  side  plate 
extended  out  over  the  crank  a  short  distance  to  keep  the  line 
from  being  entangled  in  the  handle.  These  are  called  "single 
action  click  reels,  with  protected  handle."  All  single  action 


40 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


reels   are   narrow,    so   that   the   line   will   wind   more   evenly 
without  being  "spooled"  by  hand. 

The  click  consists  of  a  sort  of  ratchet  working  both  ways, 
inside  of  the  left-hand  plate.  Its  use  is  to  keep  the  reel 
from  running  too  freely  and  to  show  when  the  line  is  run- 
ning out.  It  is  not  a  necessity  by  any  means,  but  all  fly  reels 
are  equipped  with  a  click.  It  may  be  stationary,  or  "back 
sliding"  so  that  by  pushing  a  little  button  on  the  reel  plate, 
it  is  thrown  out  of  engagement  and  inoperative.  The  click, 
when  in  action,  makes  a  clicking  sound  as  the  spool  is  turned. 


Single  Action  Reel  with  Revolving  Side  Plate  and  Expert  Click 

Reel. 


Reels  are  made  of  brass,  nickel-plated  brass,  aluminum, 
rubber,  German  silver,  and  rubber  and  German  silver  com- 
bined. The  cheapest  are  brass  and  nickel  plate.  The  best 
are  made  of  German  silver. 

The  best  single  action  reels  have  the  handle  attached  to 
a  revolving  side  plate,  which  takes  the  place  of  the  revolving 
handle.  They  are  strong  and  simple- and  do  not  offer  a  place 
for  the  line  to  become  entangled.  The  handle  should  taper, 
being  smallest  at  the  outer  end,  and  the  edges  of  the  side 


REELS. 


41 


plates  should  be  rounded  and  smooth  so  that  they  will  not 
wear  the  enamel  from  the  line. 

There  is  another  form  of  single  action  click  reel  which 
has  no  side  plates,  simply  a  pair  of  rims  held  together  by 


Salmon  Reel. 
(About  three-fourths  size.) 

the  pillars  and  a  post  up  the  left  side  to  which  the  spool  is 
attached.  The  handle  is  attached  direct  to  the  other  end  of 
the  spool.  The  "Expert,"  "Featherweight"  and  "Ideal"  reels 
are  of  this  pattern.  They  are  very  good  and  are  used  con- 
siderably for  fly  fishing. 


42 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


A  single  action  reel  for  trout  or  bass  fishing  should  be 
of  the  size  said  to  hold  eighty  or  100  yards  of  line.  These 
will  hold  only  about  half  that  much  size  E  enamel  line,  and 
while  it  is  seldom  if  ever  that  more  than  thirty-five  yards 
are  needed  for  bass  or  trout,  it  is  better  if  the  spool  is  well 
filled  up,  but  not  crowded.  The  more  line  you  have  on  the 
spool  the  faster  it  will  pick  up  the  slack. 

For    salmon    very    large    single    action    reels    are    used. 


Multiplying  Reel,  for  Bait-Casting. 

They  will  measure  from  three  and  a  half  to  four  and  a 
fourth  inches  in  diameter  and  will  hold  several  hundred 
yards  of  heavy  enameled  line. 

The  multiplying  reel  has  double  side  plates  at  the  handle 
end  and  the  handle  is  not  attached  to  the  spool  or  the 
central  shaft,  but  is  set  to  one  side  and  is  connected  with  the 
spool  by  means  of  cog  gearing.  A  double  multiplying  reel 
turns  the  spool  twice  to  one  turn  of  the  handle,  and  a  quad- 


REELS.  43 

ruple  multiplier  turns  the  spool  four  times  to  one  revolution 
of  the  handle.  The  object  of  this  is  not  only  that  they  will 
wind  up  line  faster,  but  that  they  may  run  more  freely,  for 
multiplying  reels  are  used  in  bait-casting  and  the  momentum 
of  the  bait  must  draw  out  the  line  from  the  reel.  They  are 
made  long  in  proportion  to  their  diameter,  for  the  running 
of  the  spool  must  be  controlled  by  pressure  of  the  thumb 
when  casting,  and  the  narrow  kind  would  not  allow  this. 
When  winding  in  line  it  must  be  guided  by  the  hand  so  that 
it  winds  evenly  on  the  spool. 

These  reels  all  have  balance  handles.  All  of  them  are 
fitted  with  sliding  click  and  some  of  them  with  a  drag.  The 
drag  is  to  make  the  reel  run  harder  and  tire  the  fish. 

The  best  reels  are  made  as  carefully  as  a  watch,  of  the 
best  German  silver  and  steel,  the  bearings  made  very  hard  to 
make  them  run  easily  and  resist  wear,  and  some  are 
jeweled  or  have  ball-bearings.  These  fine  reels  come  very 
high,  from  ten  to  sixty  dollars,  but  if  one  does  much  fishing, 
and  can  stand  the  initial  cost,  they  are  well  worth  the  money, 
for  they  will  never  wear  out  and  are  a  source  of  continuous 
joy  to  the  owner.  They  are  the  kind  that  are  used  in  the 
bait-casting  tournaments  and  the  longest  casts  have  been 
made  with  them. 

This  description  applies  to  reels  of  the  standard  design, 
but  in  late  years  special  reels  to  do  away  with  the  thumbing 
operation,  always  difficult  for  the  amateur,  have  been  in- 
vented. These  are  called  "self-thumbing"  reels.  This  device 
is  entirely  concealed  inside  the  reel  and  consists  of  simple 
weights  attached  to  the  flanges  of  the  spool.  They  are  said 
to  work  very  well  and  enable  the  amateur  to  cast  a  bait  as 
well  as  the  experienced  fishermen,  without  letting  the  spool 
overrun  and  make  a  "backlash,"  as  a  tangle  of  this  kind  is 
called. 

Another  fine  reel  brought  out  in  recent  years  is  known 
as  the  anti-backlash  casting-reel,  and  it  is  intended  to  govern 


44 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


automatically  the  rendering  of  the  line,  and  is  said  to  do  so 
to  perfection.  This  reel  requires  no  thumbing.  This  is  ac- 
complished with  only  a  fraction  of  an  ounce  additional 
weight  to  the  reel  and  with  a  device  so  simple  that  it  is 
hardly  worthy  to  be  called  a  mechanism.  The  braking  effect 
is  adjustable  in  a  moment,  entirely  without  the  use  of  tools, 


The    Anti-Back-Lash    Casting    Reel. 

to  suit  any  weight  bait.  If  desired,  a  half  turn  of  the  ad- 
justing screw  releases  the  brake  and  the  reel  can  then  be 
used  and  thumbed  as  an  ordinary  reel. 

Then  there  are  "free  spool"  reels  which  automatically 
free  the  spool  from  the  gearing  as  the  bait  is  cast,  allowing 
the  spool  to  run  without  turning  the  handle  of  the  reel,  thus 
allowing  of  long  casts.  It  is  somewhat  on  the  principle  of 


REELS.  45 

the  coaster  brake  on  a  bicycle.  The  first  movement  of  the 
handle  in  reeling  in  line  again  engages  the  gear  and  turns  the 
spool. 

Another  invention  that  is  a  great  help  to  the  beginner  is 
the  even  spooler,  a  device  to  attach  to  a  reel  to  make  it  wind 
the  line  evenly  from  end  to  end  of  the  spool  without  atten- 
tion from  the  angler.  This  consists  of  a  pulley  with  an  arch 
over  it  as  a  line  guide,  traveling  back  and  forth  on  a  spindle, 
which  is  threaded  right  and  left.  The  pulley  travels  to  one 
end  of  the  spool,  automatically  slips  into  the  other  thread 
and  travels  back  again,  laying  the  line  evenly  on  the  spool. 


Redifor  Reel  with  Automatic  Spooler. 

There  are  several  reels  made  by  the  Shakespear  people  that 
have  a  level  winding  arrangement  built  into  the  reel  itself, 
but  the  independent  even-spoolers  can  be  attached  to  almost 
any  reel. 

There  is  also  a  reel  that  may  be  taken  apart  in  a  few 
seconds  without  tools  and  by  having  separate  spools  with 
lines  wound,  same  may  be  inserted  and  used  in  case  a  line 
breaks  or  tangles  badly. 

Some  time  ago  there  was  placed  on  the  market  a  reel 
and  rod  handle  combined  which  winds  the  line  in  a  criss- 
cross style.  It  is  known  as  the  Gyratory  reel.  It  can  only 


46 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


be  used  with  the  handle  supplied  with  it  as  it  is  not  made  to 
be  fastened  in  a  reel  seat.  The  object  is  to  so  wind  the  line 
that  it  will  not  cut  in  (one  round  wedged  between  others.) 
It  consists  of  a  simple  spool  on  a  spindle,  the  spindle  pro- 
jecting through  the  rod  handle  and  the  reel  handle  attached 
to  the  spindle.  The  reel  is  one  of  the  free-spool  kind  and  no 
part  moves  when  casting  except  the  spool  itself.  It  is  the 
wobbling  motion  of  the  spool  that  cross-winds  the  line. 

The   old   and   experienced  bait-casters   frown   on   all   of 
these  improvements   and  denounce  them.     They  are   experts 


The  Marhoff  Level- Winding  Reel. 

in  thumbing  the  reel  and  are  so  used  to  spooling  the  line  that 
they  can  do  it  nicely  without  giving  it  a  thought.  But  for 
the  beginners  there  is  no  question  that  they  are  a  great  con- 
venience. It  requires  a  lot  of  time  and  patience  to  learn  to 
properly  thumb  the  reel  and  many  amateurs  become  discour- 
aged and  go  back  to  still-fishing,  because  they  do  not  have 
the  time  and  patience  to  learn.  But  with  these  improvements 
they  never  have  to  learn  to  master  this  delicate  accomplish- 
ment unless  they  want  to.  The  experts  say  that  they  do  not 
give  the  fish  a  chance ;  that  they  rob  fishing  of  its  pleasures 


REELS. 


47 


by  making  it  too  easy.  It  would  do  so  for  them,  but  not  for 
the  man  who  can  only  devote  a  day  now  and  then  to  fishing 
—  they  add  to  his  pleasure. 

The  expert  fishermen  are  quite  often  opposed  to  the 
automatic  reel  for  the  same  reason;  it  does  not  give  the  fish 
a  chance  and  makes  fishing  easy.  But  properly  used  the 
automatic  reel  is  one  of  the  finest  things  ever  designed  for 
the  fly  fisherman ;  it  is  no  good  for  bait-casting,  but  may  be 
used  for  still-fishing.  To  my  mind  it  is  as  sportsmanlike  as 


An    Automatic   Reel  —  the   T.    &   E. 


the  hammerless  or  repeating  gun  and  I  can  see  no  reason 
why  anybody  should  draw  the  line  at  improvements  in  fish- 
ing reels.  In  fly  fishing  the  angler  need  not  use  the  reel  to 
play  the  fish  if  he  does  not  care  to  do  so,  but  handle  the  line 
by  hand  and  pick  up  the  slack  with  the  reel.  A  pressure  of 
the  little  finger  on  the  lever  causes  the  reel  to  rapidly  wind 
in  line.  It  is  really  intended  to  co-operate  with  the  spring  of 
the  rod  to  automatically  and  instantly  take  up  all  slack  of 
the  line  and  keep  a  constant  strain  on  the  fish.  It  is  not  in- 


48 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


tended  to  reel  the  fish  in.  The  reel  may  be  used  for  fly 
fishing  either  above  or  below  the  hand,  but  works  best  below 
the  hand,  as  it  balances  the  rod.  and  makes  it  handle  better. 
The  reel  should  be  of  the  smallest  and  lightest  for  light  fly 
rods.  It  is  said  that  the  automatic  reel  is  an  excellent  one 
for  salmon  fishing,  but,  of  course,  the  largest  sizes  must  be 
used  for  this. 

All  automatic  reels  are  made  on  the  same  principle  and 
turn  the  spool  by  means  of  a  long  coiled  or  wound  spring. 


An  Automatic  Reel  in  Use  —  the  Martin. 

The  tension  of  the  spring  may  be  regulated  to  suit  the  rod 
and  the  kind  of  fish  that  are  sought.  It  should  not  be  made 
too  strong  if  the  rod  is  a  light  one. 

Reels  for  salt-water  fishing  are  made  similar  to  bait- 
casting  reels,  but  are  shorter  in  proportion  to  their  diameter 
and  are  much  larger.  A  reel  for  surf  fishing  should  hold 
two  hundred  yards  of  line,  or  more.  The  best  are  made  of 
German  silver  and  rubber  and  have  a  "throw-off"  to  make 
them  free-spool,  for  casting.  The  reel  should  be  equipped 
with  a  leather  brake,  which  is  a  piece  of  leather  attached  to 


REELS. 


49 


one  of  the  pillars  and  is  pressed  against  the  line  on  the 
spool  to  check  the  rush  of  a  fish.  The  greatest  objection  to 
a  leather  brake  is  that  it  wears  the  line  rapidly.  What  is 
better  is  the  handle  drag,  which  is  a  balance  handle  so  made 
that  it  acts  as  a  brake,  and  is  fitted  to  the  reel  in  place  of  the 


Tarpon  and  Tuna  Reel. 
(A  little  more  than  one-half  size.) 

regular  handle.  The  center  of  the  handle  consists  of  a 
large  disc  holding  six  screws  around  the  edge.  By  turning, 
these  screws  any  degree  of  drag  may  be  obtained.  In  using 
them  the  angler  does  not  let  go  of  the  handle  but  holds  it 
stationary  and  the  fish  must  draw  out  the  line  against  the 
tension  for  which  the  drag  is  adjusted.  The  handle  remains 


50 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


stationary,  but  when  the  fish  gets  tired  and  slacks  the  line  the 
handle  may  be  turned  and  the  slack  reeled  in.  It  prevents 
breaking  of  rod  tips  and  lines  and  the  loss  of  fish. 

One  firm,  a  large  manufacturer  of  salt-water  reels,  fit 
their  tarpon  and  tuna  reels  with  an  adjustable  drag  of  their 
own  which  holds  against  the  fish  continually,  when  it  runs, 
at  the  tension  to  which  it  was  adjusted.  The  drag  does  not 
alter  the  appearance  of  the  reel  and  the  handle  does  not 
revolve  when  the  line  is  drawn  out. 


Wood   Reel,   for   Trolling   and    Salt    Water   Fishing. 

Reels  for  tarpon  and  tuna  fishing  are  of  the  largest  size, 
some  of  them  being  four  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter  and 
holding  600  yards  of  line. 

A  simple  wood  reel  of  large  size  is  sometimes  used  for 
trolling  with  a  copper  wire  line,  for  muskellunge,  lake  trout 
and  other  fresh-water  fish.  Many  salt-water  anglers  also  use 
them  — those  who  fish  from  the  piers  and  in  the  surf.  They 
are  made  in  five,  six,  and  seven  inch  sizes. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Hooks,  Lines  and  Leaders. 

ISH  HOOKS  have  been  in  use  from  prehistoric 
times,  but  what  they  were  like  in  these  early 
days,  or  what  they  were  made  of  we  do  not  know. 
But  hooks  of  metal  were  in  use  in  early  Bible  times 
and  bronze  fish  hooks  have  been  found  in  the  ruins 
of  the  ancient  city  of  Pompeii.  The  fish  hook  of  today  — 
the  carefully  shaped  and  tempered  article  —  originated  in 
England  in  the  early  days  of  the  Eighteenth  Century.  At 
that  time  there  were  certain  fishing  centers  on  the  various 
rivers  and  the  several  dealers  in  fishing  goods  each  had  their 
hooks  made  by  local  workmen,  after  a  given  pattern.  These 
hooks  were  named  after  the  towns  where  they  were  made, 
and  the  same  patterns  are  made  today,  as  well  as  others  of 
American  patterns,  which  were  also  named  after  the  place  of 
manufacture,  or  the  place  where  first  used. 

Of  the  old  English  patterns  we  have  such  as  the  Aber- 
deen, Limerick,  Kendall,  Carlisle,  etc.,  and  some  of  our  later 
hooks  are  the  Virginia,  Cincinnati  Bass,  and  others  that 
suggest  their  origin  by  their  names.  As  will  be  noted  by 
referring  to  the  illustration  which  shows  a  few  patterns  only 
(there  are  hundreds  of  patterns),  all  differ  in  some  way, 
either  in  length  of  shank,  style  of  bend,  side  bend,  or  shape 
of  point.  Each  angler  has  his  favorite  style  of  hook  for 
each  kind  of  fishing,  and  while  some  are  better  than  others 
there  is  not  as  much  difference  in  catching  and  holding 
qualities  as  some  imagine. 

There  are  two  distinct  styles  of  point  and  barb;  the 
spear  point  and  the  hollow  point.  The  latter  is  preferable 

61 


p 


Co.r\\s\e         C'mc'mnatt         PenneU  SprocVt 

Bass 


Sneck-  Kbcrdeerx      MevgYork     L\pnev\ck 

KencidA 


Various  Patterns  of  Fish  Hooks. 


HOOKS.  LINES  AND  LEADERS. 


53 


and  is  used  on  all  first-class  hooks.  Cheap  ringed  hooks  that 
sell  for  five  cents  a  hundred  or  thereabouts,  all  have  spear 
points  and  are  formed  entirely  by  machinery.  They  will  do 
for  such  fishing  as  chubs,  sunfish,  catfish,  suckers,  and  that 
kind,  but  they  are  not  as  strong  as  the  hand-forged  hook 
and  heavier  and  larger  ones  must  be  used.  A  hollow  point 
hook  has  the  inside  of  the  point,  between  the  extreme  point 
of  hook  and  point  of  barb  filed  out  to  a  nice  curve  and  the 
hook  below  the  barb  is  also  shaped  by  filing  or  grinding. 
The  cheap  ringed  hooks  are  invariably  japanned  black,  but 
the  good  hooks  are  blued  or  bronzed. 


[A//LLJAMS 


CDGAR. 


Barbless  Hooks. 


The  length  of  shank  makes  this  difference;  it  weakens 
the  hook  if  too  long,  allowing  it  to  spring  and  let  the  fish 
slip  off,  but  it  also  enables  the  angler  to  extract  it  readily 
without  getting  his  fingers  in  the  fish's  mouth.  They  also 
save  bait  when  using  worms,  as  the  bait  slips  up  the  shank 
of  the  hook  and  is  less  mutilated  by  the  fish.  The  longest 
shanked  hook  is  the  Carlisle.  It  is  rather  weak  and  not 
good  for  heavy  fish;  also  has  a  strong  side  bend  which  few 
anglers  approve  of. 

The  end  of  the  shank  may  be  finished  in  several  ways;  it 
may  be  ringed,  by  turning  the  end  of  the  wire  so  that  it 


310  210          HO         1 


Fish  Hooks  in  Exact  Sizes — Kirby  Pattern.  Ringed. 
54 


HOOKS,  LINES  AND  LEADERS.  55 

forms  an  eye ;  it  may  be  tapered  and  marked  with  little  cuts ; 
or  it  may  be  flattened  out  at  the  end.  The  marked  hooks  are 
used  for  snelling  with  silkworm  gut  and  for  making  flies 
with  snells.  The  gut  is  thoroughly  softened  by  soaking  in 
water,  and  is  laid  along  the  shank  of  the  hook  and  bound  on 
by  winding  tightly  with  fine  silk  thread.  The  winding  is  then 
shellaced. 

Ringed  hooks  are  used  for  what  are  called  "eyed  flies" 
and  are  tied  to  the  end  of  the  leader  by  certain  knots  which 
are  described  elsewhere.  They  are  also  used  for  common 
fishing  by  tying  direct  to  the  line.  The  flatted  end  hooks 
may  be  used  either  way,  with  gut  or  to  the  line  itself. 

One  style  of  hook  is  known  as  the  Pennell.  The  eye  or 
ring  of  this  hook  is  turned  over  towards  the  point  and  this 
makes  a  fine  shape  and  one  of  the  very  best  of  hooks.  The 
shanks  are  tapered,  -  the  hooks  finely  tempered  and  finished 
in  bronze.  Another  very  popular  hook,  especially  for  the 
smaller  kinds  of  rish,  is  the  Sneck  pattern,  also  called  Ken- 
dall-Sneck,  or  Sneck-Kendall.  They  are  finely  tempered  and 
blued.  The  O'Shaughnessy  is  also  a  favorite,  especially  for 
sea-fishing. 

For  tarpon,  tuna  and  other  very  large  and  powerful  fish 
the  Van  Vleck  hook  is  the  kind  most  used.  These  hooks  are 
eyed  and  the  eye  is  formed  by  flattening  the  end  and  punch- 
ing. The  point  and  barb  also  differs  from  the  regulation 
pattern.  The  Improved  Van  Vleck  has  a  double  barb  and  it 
is  set  on  the  outside  of  the  point  instead  of  the  inside.  The 
smallest  of  these  hooks  is  numbered  8  and  this  one  is  about 
the  same  size  as  the  No.  1  or  No.  1-0  of  the  other  hooks. 
Sizes  7  and  8  are  for  black  bass.  The  Captiva  is  a  tarpon 
hook  similar  to  the  plain  Van  Vleck. 

There  are  several  styles  of  hooks  which  have  no  barbs. 
One  is  the  Williams  Barbless  hook,  which  has  a  peculiar 
bend  to  prevent  the  fish  from  shaking  it  out.  This  hook  is 
said  to  be  a  very  good  one  and  is  liked  because  it  does  not 


56 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


injure  the  fish  as  much  as  a  barbed  hook,  so  that  the  small 
ones  may  be  returned  to  the  water  none  the  worse  for  the 
catching.  The  other  barbless  hook  is  the  Edgar,  which  has 
a  tongue  to  prevent  the  fish  from  getting  off. 

Many  hooks  have  been  designed  for  bass  and  for  other 
surface  feeding  fish,  with  weed  guards,  to  prevent  the  hook 
catching  weeds  and  grass.  Some  of  these  are  good  and  do 
their  work  well,  but  others  are  so  constructed  that  they 
turn  over  quite  often  when  the  fish  takes  the  bait  and  thus 
prevent  the  hook  from  catching.  Some  of  the  best  kinds  are 


WEEDLESS  HOOKS. 

1 — La   Salle  ;    2 — Henzel ;    3 — Cooper's  Weedless   Porker  ;    4 — 
Jamison. 

shown  in  the  illustration.  It  will  be  noted  that  they  are  all 
weighted;  this  is  to  make  them  ride  point  up.  Quite  a  novel 
idea  is  shown  in  the  Doddridge  Automatic  Weedless  hook, 
which  is  weedless  only  while  being  drawn  forward,  the  ten- 
sion of  the  line  tripping  the  weed  guards  up  to  the  point  of 
the  hook  and  the  guards  dropping  down  out  of  the  way  the 
instant  the  line  is  slacked. 

There  are  also  double  hooks,  made  by  forming  hooks  on 
both  ends  of  a  piece  of  wire  and  bending  it  in  the  middle. 
This  form  is  not  used  much  but  nearly  all  artificial  baits  are 
furnished  with  one  or  more  treble  hooks,  which  are  made 


HOOKS,  LINES  AND  LEADERS. 


57 


by  soldering  a  single  and  a  double  hook  together  so  that  it 
forms  three  hooks  on  the  same  shank,  each  standing  out  in 
a  different  direction  from  the  shank.  These  are  sometimes^ 
used  plain  and  sometimes  covered  with  a  bunch  of  feathers 
or  deer  hair,  to  conceal  them  and  ward  off  weeds  and  grass. 


The  Van   Vleck   Tarpon  Hook. 


As  with  hooks,  so  also  it  is  with  lines.  There  are  many 
kinds  and  each  has  its  use.  For  instance  there  are  lines  of 
cotton,  twisted  and  braided,  both  braided  and  twisted  linen 
lines,  soft  braided  silk  lines,  oiled  or  waterproof  braided  silk 
lines,  and  enameled  silk  lines. 


58  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

Twisted  cotton  lines  are  used  only  for  catching  catfis.i 
and  such  bottom  feeding  fish.  Braided  cotton  lines  are  used 
for  the  same  purposes;  also  for  ocean  fishing  and  for  troll- 
ing. Braided  and  twisted  linen  lines  are  very  strong  and  are 
used  for  all  kinds  of  salt-water  fishing  and  lake  trolling. 

The  sizes  of  twisted  linen  Cuttyhunk  lines  are  shown 
here,  the  numbers  showing  the  number  of  threads  of  which 
they  are  made.  Each  thread  is  tested  to  stand  a  strain  of 
two  pounds,  so  a  thirty-thread  line  will  stand  a  strain  of 
sixty  pounds ;  a  nine-thread  line  will  stand  a  strain  of 
eighteen  pounds,  etc.  These  lines  are  very  hard  and  smooth. 


Number  of  Threads. 
30  ^*Mssa»» 


24 

21 

18 
15 

12 


Sizes  of  Twisted  Linen  Lines. 

Some  of  those  made  by  the  Kingfisher  people  are  water- 
proof, and  all  of  them  make  excellent  lines  for  all-around 
fishing.  A  No.  6  Cuttyhunk  linen  line  is  no  larger  than  an 
ordinary  thread,  but  will  stand  a  strain  of  twelve  pounds. 

A  line  that  is  excellent  for  trolling  and  also  good  for 
salt-water  fishing  is  made  by  braiding  silk  over  a  linen 
center.  It  is  a  very  strong  line  but  rather  stiff  and  rough 
for  casting.  Pure  silk  lines  are  not  durable  when  used  in 
salt-water. 

The  plain  undressed  silk  lines  are  the  kind  for  bait- 
casting.  They  are  numbered  differently  but  the  sizes  are  a 


HOOKS,  LINES  AND  LEADERS.  59 

trifle  larger  than  the  twisted  linen  lines  of  the  same  strength. 
A  soft  undressed  braided  silk  line  about  the  same  diameter 
as  a  No.  9  twisted  linen  line  will  stand  a  strain  of  sixteen 
pounds,  and  the  linen  line  will  stand  eighteen.  This  size  is 
generally  known  as  G,  but  different  brands  of  line  are  num- 
bered differently  and  you  must  know  this  before  you  order 
a  line  of  this  kind.  This,  and  the  E  size,  which  is  larger, 
are  the  sizes  most  used  for  bait-casting  for  black  bass. 

The  oiled  silk  lines  are  made  for  general  all-around  fish- 
ing, but  are  not  specially  adapted  for  any  particular  use. 
They  make  durable  and  useful  lines  for  the  average  fisher- 


> '  E 
"  D 
"  C 


Sizes  of  Braided  Enameled  Silk  Lines. 


man,  as  they  can  be  used  for  fishing  with  worm,  for  bottom 
fishing,  trolling,  etc. 

For  fly  casting  there  is  only  one  kind  and  that  is  the 
enameled  silk  line.  Here  is  where  quality  counts  and  the 
finest  are  none  too  good.  These  lines  are  covered  with  a 
flexible  enamel  and  not  only  covered  but  saturated  with  it  as 
well.  It  makes  the  lines  very  smooth  and  increases  their 
weight,  both  of  which  are  desirable  qualities  for  fly  casting. 
It  must  be  stiff  enough  to  run  nicely  through  the  guides 
without  drooping  enough  to  bind,  but  must  not  by  any  means 
be  stiffer  than  this  —  some  of  them  are  too  stiff  and  none 
are  too  pliable.  The  enamel  must  be  of  the  best  so  that  it 


60 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


will  not  break,  wear  off  or  get  sticky.  The  sizes  used  mostly 
for  fly-casting  for  trout  and  bass  are  sizes  E  and  F.  The  E 
size  is  used  most,  but  for  a  very  light  rod  the  F  size  should 
be  chosen.  For  salmon  the  size  C  is  right. 

The  fine  enameled  silk  lines  have  the  dressing  applied  in 
a  vacuum  at  a  high  temperature.  It  requires  six  months  to 
enamel  and  finish  one  of  these  lines.  When  buying  such  a 
line  double  it  sharply  and  pinch  and  roll  it  between  the 


Sizes  of  Tapered  Silk  Lines. 

thumb  and  finger;  if  it  turns  white  or  softens  or  weakens  at 
the  place  it  is  not  a  first-class  article.  See  also  that  the  line 
is  flexible,  and  not  sticky  to  the  touch. 

Of  these  enameled  lines  there  are  two  kinds,  known  as 
level  and  tapered  lines.  The  level  lines  are  of  even  thickness 
throughout,  but  the  tapered  lines  are  two  or  three  sizes 
smaller  towards  one  end,  if  a  single  taper,  or  at  both  ends 
if  a  double  tapered  line.  Tapered  lines  are  better  for  fly- 


HOOKS,  LINES  AND  LEADERS. 


61 


casting,  especially  for  use  on  lakes  and  still  water;  the  heavy 
center  pushes  the  lighter  end  out  more  readily,  and  the  line 
falls  more  lightly.  A  double  tapered  line  can  be  changed 
end  about  when  one  end  gets  bad. 

A  fishing  line  should  be  of  a  color  that  will  not  show 


A  Gut  Leader  and  a  Leader  Box. 


plainly  in  the  water.  For  muddy  or  cloudy  water  it  may  be 
amber  or  tan  color.  The  "pepper  and  salt"  kind  is  good  in 
grassy  waters,  so  also  are  the  green  and  yellow  kinds.  It 
should  be  remembered  that  the  fish  usually  sees  the  line  from 
below,  outlined  against  the  sky. 


62  SCIENCE  OP  FISHING. 

For  deep  trolling  wire  lines  are  used.  These  may  be  a 
single  strand  of  copper  wire,  but  such  are  likely  to  get 
broken  as  they  kink  very  easily.  A  line  of  braided  copper 
wire  is  better.  Lines  of  other  metals,  rust-proof,  are  also 
made  for  this  purpose.  Their  advantage  over  other  styles 
of  line  is  that  they  require  no  sinker  and  sink  to  the  proper 
depth  of  their  own  weight.  They  are  used  for  muskellunge 
and  lake  trout,  especially  the  latter,  which  are  nearly  always 
found  in  very  deep  water. 

Leaders,  for  fly  fishing  and  for  use  with  bait  at  times 
are  made  of  metal  or  of  silkworm  gut,  depending  on  what 
use  is  to  be  made  of  them.  Those  for  trout,  bass  and  salmon 
are  always  made  of  silkworm  gut. 

This  is  really  a  product  of  the  silkworm.  Most  of  it 
comes  from  Murcia,  Spain,  but  some  comes  from  Italy.  It  is 
made  from  the  substance  that  the  silk  is  made  from,  but  it  is 
taken  from  the  body  of  the  worm  before  he  spins  his  cocoon 
from  which  we  make  silk.  This  raw  product  is  found  in  a 
little  sack  and  sack  and  contents  are  drawn  out  into  a  thread 
a  foot  or  more  in  length,  and  allowed  to  harden.  The  sack 
is  then  removed  and  a  strand  of  silkworm  gut  remains ;  a 
hard,  semi-transparent  and  very  strong  substance.  It  goes 
through  a  bleaching  and  polishing  process  before  it  is  ready 
for  use,  and  some  of  it  is  drawn  through  holes  in  metal 
plates,  like  wire,  to  make  it  an  even  thickness  and  of  equal 
strength.  Nearly  all  of  the  fine,  light-weight  gut  is  drawn 
this  way.  Undrawn  gut  is  not  treated  this  way. 

The  leaders  are  made  by  tying  these  pieces  together  into 
lengths  of  three,  six,  or  nine  feet,  with  loops  at  the  ends  for 
attaching  line  and  snelled  hook.  There  are  single  gut  leaders 
for  light  fishing  and  double  gut  leaders  for  heavier  work. 
The  double  or  treble  gut  leaders  are  generally  twisted.  If 
more  than  one  thickness  of  gut  is  used  it  is  better  twisted 
as  twisting  equalizes  the  strain.  Six  and  nine-foot  leaders 
are  now  made  mostly  of  three-foot  lengths  looped  together 


HOOKS,  LINES  AND  LEADERS. 


63 


and  the  loops  make  good  places  to  attach  dropper  flies 
without  tying  additional  loops  to  the  leader.  The  loops  are 
shoved  open,  the  end  of  the  snell  passed  through,  and  the 
loops  drawn  tight  again.  There  must  be  a  knot  on  the  end 
of  the  snell. 

Single  gut  leaders  only  are  used  for  trout  fishing  and 
unless  the  fish  are  very  large  the  lighter  weight  will  answer, 


A  Steel  Wire  Leader  with  Swivel  and  Coupler. 


is  really  best,  especially  for  lake  fishing.  For  streams  where 
there  is  always  more  or  less  motion  to  the  water  a  heavier 
leader  may  be  used,  and  as  the  leader  is  subjected  to  a  greater 
strain  in  stream  fishing  it  must  be  strong.  It  should  be  of 
even  thickness  from  end  to  end,  though  for  lake  fishing  they 
are  sometimes  tapered  so  that  they  fall  more  lightly  on  the 
water.  Some  leader  makers,  in  order  to  get  longer  spaces 


64  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

between  knots,  use  the  light,  inferior  ends.  As  the  strength 
of  a  chain  is  gauged  by  the  strength  of  its  weakest  link,  so 
also  a  leader  is  just  as  strong  as  its  weakest  spot;  and 
of  course  there  should  be  no  weak  spots.  It  should  be 
round  and  transparent,  of  equal  thickness  throughout,  and 
without  kinks,  frayed  or  split  spots  or  blemishes  of  any  kind. 

For  salmon  the  heaviest  nine-foot  single  leaders  should 
be  used.  For  bass  the  leader  should  be  three  or  six  feet, 
heavy  single,  or  light  twisted  double  gut.  An  amateur  needs 
a  stronger  leader  than  an  expert. 

Gut  leaders  are  sometimes  stained  to  a  bluish  or  yel- 
lowish color,  but  it  is  doubtful  whether  this  makes  them  any 
better  or  less  conspicuous  and  many  anglers  believe  that  the 
coloring  weakens  the  gut. 

Wire  leaders  are  made  for  trolling  and  sea  fishing. 
They  are  usually  made  of  steel  wire,  tinned  and  have  swivels 
on  the  ends.  Piano  wire  is  sometimes  used,  also  specially 
tempered  steel,  and  phosphor  bronze.  One  end  should  be 
fitted  with  a  coupler  for  attaching  the  hook  or  bait.  They 
are  made  in  various  lengths  from  six  inches  up  to  five  feet. 
Twisted  wire  is  also  used  for  this  purpose. 

When  going  fishing  the  gut  leaders  should  be  carried  in 
a  small  case  or  leader  box  between  moist  felt  pads.  This 
softens  the  leader  and  strengthens  it.  Never  use  a  dry  gut 
leader  for  fishing;  soften  it  before  you  commence  to  fish. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Flies. 

HE  finest  and  most  artistic  branch  of  fish- 
ing is  the  taking  of  surface-feeding  fish 
by  means  of  the  artificial  fly.  Fly  fishing 
is  not  of  recent  origin.  We  find  that  this 
kind  of  sport  was  indulged  in  by  the  an- 
cient Romans,  but  it  was  in  England, 
hundreds  of  years  later  that  it  was  developed  to  its  present 
stand.  It  is  the  favorite  method  of  nearly  all  trout  anglers 
in  this  country,  and  is  the  kind  of  fishing  also  employed 
for  the  Atlantic  salmon,  and  largely  used  for  the  capture 
of  black  bass  and  other  fishes  of  less  importance.  As  prac- 
ticed in  England  it  is  far  advanced  over  our  comparatively 
crude  methods  used  on  this  side  of  the  water. 

Artificial  flies  are  not  merely  bright  colored  feathers  tied 
in  various  combinations  to  suit  the  angler's  fancy,  as  many 
believe,  but  each  fly,  with  a  few  exceptions,  is  an  imitation 
of  some  insect  found  on  the  streams  at  one  time  of  the  year 
or  other,  on  which  the  fish  feed,  or  an  imitation  of  a  cater- 
pillar or  other  favorite  food.  A  few,  however,  have  been 
designed  in  imitation  of  nothing  living,  and  hare  proved 
good.  Because  a  fish  never  saw  a  live  insect  of  just  such 
colors  is  no  reason  why  he  shouldn't  bite  at  it. 

There  are  three  game  fishes  which  feed  largely  on  flies 
and  the  artificial  flies  have  been  designed  purposely  for  the 
capture  of  these  fishes ;  they  are  the  trout,  the  black  bass, 
and  the  salmon.  Therefore  we  have  trout  flies,  bass  flies  and 
salmon  flies,  and  these  answer  for  all  kinds  of  fish  that  rise 
to  a  fly. 

5  65 


66  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

About  the  only  difference  between  trout  and  bass  flies  is 
the  sizes;  the  same  patterns  and  colors  are  used  for  each. 
The  bass  flies  are  sometimes  used  for  large  trout. 

Flies  are  known  as  winged  flies,  hackles  and  palmers. 
The  winged  flies  have  one  or  two  pairs  of  wings,  a  hackle  to 
represent  legs,  a  body  and  usually  a  tail.  The  hackle  has  a 
body  and  sometimes  a  tail,  and  always  a  hackle  tied  at  the 
shoulder,  but  no  wings.  A  palmer  has  a  body  with  a 
hackle  set  in  spirally  the  length  of  the  body.  It  is  made  in 
imitation  of  a  caterpillar.  Many  anglers  call  both  of  these 
latter  "hackles." 

The  old  way  and  the  most  common  way  yet  of  tying  flies 
is  to  build  the  fly  on  a  marked  shank  hook  with  a  snell  of 
silkworm  gut  attached,  a  loop  at  the  end  so  that  it  may  be 
quickly  and  easily  attached  to  the  leader.  But  the  "eyed 
flies,"  that  is  flies  tied  to  ringed  or  eyed  hooks,  especially  to 
hooks  of  the  Pennell  pattern  are  becoming  more  and  more 
popular  each  year.  They  are  tied  directly  to  the  end  of  the 
leader,  which  has  no  loop  in  this  case,  by  a  knot  which  is 
explained  elsewhere  in  this  book,  or  they  may  be  tied  to  a 
snell  which  is  looped  to  the  end  of  a  leader.  If  the  leader 
is  well  softened,  and  no  leader  should  be  used  when  dry, 
these  eyed  flies  are  as  easily  attached  as  the  snelled  ones.  If 
snelled  flies  are  selected  they  should  have  a  short  extra  piece 
of  gut  tied  into  the  fly  and  joined  to  the  snell  some  distance 
above  the  hook.  This  is  called  a  helper  and  makes  the  fly,  or 
the  snell  rather,  last  twice  as  long,  for  it  is  at  its  junction 
with  the  hook  that  the  snell  breaks.  By  using  eyed  flies  the 
leader  loop  is  done  away  with,  and  the  leader  makes  less 
commotion  on  the  surface  of  the  water  when  the  fly  is  cast. 

It  is  since  the  dry  or  floating  flies  came  into  such  general 
use  in  England  that  the  eyed  fly  has  become  so  popular.  The 
dry  flies  are  very  small  ones,  tied  on  very  small  hooks  — 
numbers  12,  14  and  even  as  small  as  18  and  20.  The  bodies 
of  these  flies  are  made  of  cork,  or  other  material  to  cause 


FLIES.  67 

them  to  float,  and  the  leaders  are  of  the  finest  gut,  such 
delicate  tackle  that  the  uninitiated  would  think  it  too  weak 
to  catch  minnows  with,  yet  the  largest  trout  and  ouananiche 
are  taken  with  them  when  properly  handled.  The  object  is 
to  correctly  imitate  the  flies  that  the  fish  are  feeding  on,  in 
size,  form  and  color,  and  to  keep  it  on  the  surface  of  the 
water  like  a  live  fly.  For  these  the  looped  snells  would  be 
bad,  as  the  loops  would  make  as  much  disturbance  of  water 
as  the  fly  itself.  Dry  flies  are  not  yet  much  used  in  this 
country,  but  are  arousing  more  interest  among  the  fly  fisher- 
men each  season. 


Fly  on  Hook  No.  14.  JFly  on  Hook  No.  12. 

Floating  or  Dry  Flies,  For  Trout. 

The  ordinary  trout  flies  are  tied  on  numbers  6,  8  and  10 
hooks,  as  a  rule.  A  No.  8  Sneck  or  Sproat  hook  is  about 
right  for  general  use.  Midge  flies  as  small  as  the  English 
dry  flies  are  also  made  in  this  country  and  these  are  very 
successful  in  small  streams,  where  the  fish  are  small  and  shy. 
They  are  of  the  more  sombre  colored  patterns  as  a  rule. 

Bass  flies  are  tied  on  much  larger  hooks  and  many  be- 
lieve that  they  would  be  better  on  smaller  sizes.  For  the 
northern  black  bass  they  are  usually  tied  on  Nos.  2,  4  and  6 
hooks,  and  No.  4  is  most  used.  For  southern  waters,  where 
the  large  mouth  bass  only  are  found,  and  they  of  very  large 
size,  flies  are  tied  on  Nos.  1/0,  3/0  and  5/0  hooks.  These 


68  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

large  sizes  are  also  used  in  combination  with  spinners  and 
spoons,  for  trolling.  Sproat  hooks  are  the  favorite  style  for 
bass  flies. 

Salmon  flies  are  seldom  if  ever  made  to  imitate  a  real 
live  insect.  They  are  tied  on  single  hooks  from  No.  3/0  to 
No.  8,  and  on  double  hooks  from  No.  2  to  No.  8  in  size. 
Most  salmon  fishermen  prefer  the  single  hooks.  Only  the 
finest  hooks  are  used  for  salmon  flies ;  also  the  best  materials 
obtainable  for  bocfies,  wings,  etc.  The  best  flies  cost  from 
twenty-five  cents  to  seventy-five  cents  each.  The  first-class 
trout  flies  cost  from  $1.00  to  $1.50  per  dozen;  bass  flies  and 


Shows  Salmon  Pattern,  Fly  on  Shows  size  Fly  No.  4,  Heavy  Wire 

No.  4  Hook.  Double  Hook. 

Salmon   Flies. 


the  large  size  trout  flies  about  $2.00  or  $2.50  per  dozen. 
Cheap  ones  made  of  dyed  feathers,  etc.,  may  be  bought  at 
thirty-five  to  fifty  cents  per  dozen. 

Many  anglers  now  make  their  own  flies  and  it  is  pleasant 
work  for  winter  evenings  and  bad  days.  Of  materials, 
feathers  of  all  colors  and  especially  those  of  waterfowl  are 
used;  also  fur  of  moles,  mice  and  rabbits,  whiskers  of 
rabbits,  silk  floss  and  silk  thread,  tinsel  (gold  and  silver), 
worsted  yarn  of  various  colors,  mohair,  seals  fur,  and  for 
finishing,  varnish;  also  wax  for  the  silk  is  needed.  These 
materials  as  well  as  hooks  and  gut,  may  be  purchased  from 
any  large  dealer.  I  could  not  devote  space  here  to  telling 


FLIES.  69 

how  to  make  artificial  flies,  but  can  tell  of  the  materials  and 
colors  for  some  of  the  most  popular.  If  any  angler  desires 
to  make  his  own  flies,  he  should  purchase  an  assortment,  one 
of  each,  and  keep  them  for  patterns. 

One  of  the  most  popular  flies  for  both  trout  and  bass  is 
the  Royal  Coachman.  It  is  made  with  a  peacock  herl  body 
w.th  a  band  of  scarlet  silk  in  the  center,  the  wings  of  white 
feather  and  the  hackle  a  soft  rich  brown. 

The  Coachman  is  made  same  as  the  Royal  Coachman 
save  that  it  does  not  have  the  scarlet  silk  center  to  body, 
and  the  body  is  thick  and  fluffy.  The  tag  is  of  silver  tinsel, 
and  it  has  a  grey  speckled  tail. 

The  Parmachenee  Belle  is  an  imitation  of  the  anal  fin  of 
the  brook  trout,  a  killing  bait  for  trout,  especially  for  even- 
ing fishing,  and  good  also  for  bass.  It  has  a  body  of  yellow 
silk,  red  and  white  wings,  red  hackle  and  red  tail. 

The  Grizzly  King  is  another  one  that  is  very  good  and 
much  used.  The  body  is  made  of  green  silk  wound  with 
silver  tinsel ;  the  wings  are  of  pintail  duck  feather  (gray  and 
white  speckled)  ;  red  tail  and  grizzled  hackle.  The  tag  (tip 
of  body  next  tail)  is  of  gold  tinsel. 

The  Silver  Doctor  is  a  gaudy  fly,  good  for  trout  and 
bass,  and  usually  costing  much  more  than  the  other  kinds. 
The  body  is  silver  tinsel  with  a  winding  of  red  silk.  The 
tag  is  red  and  the  tail  of  a  golden  pheasant  hackle.  The 
wings  are  made  of  wild  turkey  feather  in  under,  wood  duck 
on  top  and  the  remainder  in  mixed  red  and  yellow  fronds. 
The  hackle  is  blue.  It  is  the  difficulty  of  getting  materials 
for  this  fly  that  makes  it  so  costly,  and  it  is  difficult  to 
make,  too. 

The  Professor  is  good  for  bass  and  trout.  The  body  is 
of  yellow  silk  wound  with  gold  tinsel;  tail  of  bright  red 
(ibis)  ;  hackle,  brown;  wings  of  pintail  duck. 

The   Montreal,  also  good   for  both  fish,  has  a  body  of 


70 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


crimson  silk  wound  with  gold  tinsel ;  wings  brown  (turkey's 
wing)  ;  scarlet  hackle ;  tail,  ibis ;  tag,  gold  tinsel. 

The  Ibis  has  ibis  (red)  wings,  hackle  and  tail,  and  body 
of  red  mohair  wound  with  gold  tinsel. 

The  Brown  Hackle  has  no  wings,  but  the  body  is  made 
of  peacock  herl  and  is  draped  with  a  heavy  brown  hackle. 

The  Gray  Hackle  has  a  body  of  green  silk  and  a  winding 
of  silver  tinsel.  The  hackle  is  heavy  and  gray. 

I  might  go  on  and  describe  many  others  but  do  not  think 
it  necessary,  for  the  fly  tyer  must  have  a  pattern  anyway 
unless  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  fly  he  wishes  to  make. 


No  doubt  there  is  a  whole  lot  of  nonsense  written  and 
talked  regarding  fly-making  and  many  anglers  think  the  ex- 
treme care  and  careful  selection  of  colors  entirely  unneces- 
sary. Some  think  that  the  size  and  shape  count  for 
everything  and  others  that  it  is  all  in  the  color.  Some  others 
say  that  neither  is  particular  and  that  all  that  is  needed  is  a 
small  bunch  of  feathers  or  other  material  on  the  hook,  just 
so  the  colors  be  bright  or  sombre  as  the  day  and  condition  of 
light  requires.  And  to  prove  that  they  are  right  they  will 
tie  a  piece  of  feather  and  a  bit  of  worsted  on  a  hook  and 


FLIES.  71 

catch  fish  apparently  as  well  as  the  most  scientific  angler. 
It  probably  depends  much  on  the  water,  whether  it  is  fished 
much,  etc.  In  my  opinion  a  fish,  if  hungry,  seldom  waits  to 
see  the  color  and  form ;  if  he  did  he  would  seldom  rise  to  a 
fly  for  he  would  see  the  hook  and  leader  also,  and  would 
notice  that  it  did  not  appear  very  lifelike. 

Flies  are  made  for"  bass  of  deer  hair  and  known  as 
bucktail  flies.  Their  advantage  over  flies  of  feathers  and 
fur  is  that  they  do  not  mat  when  wet,  but  unless  the  hair  is 
dyed  they  can  only  be  made  in  gray  and  white  or  brown 
Some  of  them  are  nicely  shaped  and  others  are  only  heavy 
hackles.  Some  of  these  flies  are  made  with  weed  guards. 
These,  of  course,  are  large  and  might  properly  be  classed 
with  artificial  baits.  The  Jamison  fly  has  black  head  and  red 
body;  hackle  of  red  hair  and  large  wings  of  single  red 
feathers;  tail  white.  Some  very  large  bass  have  been  taken 
with  it. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Artificial  Baits. 

AITS  of  wood,  metal,  rubber,  and  other  ma- 
terials are  much  used  by  present-day 
anglers.  Some  of  these  resemble  minnows, 
but  as  a  rule  they  do  not  imitate  any  living 
creature,  differing  in  this  way  from  the  artificial 
fly,  but  are  probably  mistaken  by  the  fish  for 
live  creatures,  anyway  the  fish  attack  them  and  some  of 
these  baits  have  proved  very  successful.  Perhaps  the  oldest 


The   Roamer   Bait. 

of  all  artificial  baits  is  the  phantom  minnow,  which  is,  unlike 
many  of  the  later  creations,  an  imitation  of  a  real  minnow, 
and  the  manufacturers  really  do  try  to  make  it  look  like  a 
small  fish.  It  is  an  old  standard  bait,  but  is  not  as  success- 
ful as  some  of  the  later  ones.  They  are  usually  made  of 
silk,  though  one  brand  is  made  of  porpoise  hide.  They  have 
spinning  wings  attached  to  the  head  and  are  furnished  with 

72 


ARTIFICIAL  BAITS. 


73 


three  treble  hooks  fastened  to  gut  or  gimp  snells.  One  treble 
is  just  behind  the  head;  another  trails  farther  back  on  the 
body,  and  the  third  hangs  just  behind  the  minnow's  tail,  so 
that  a  fish  can  hardly  strike  the  bait  without  getting  caught 
on  one  of  the  hooks. 


The  Nemo  Bait. 

Then  there  are  imitations  of  frogs,  helgramites,  mice, 
grasshoppers,  crickets,  grubs,  worms,  etc.,  usually  made  of 
rubber  but  these  are  not  used  as  much  as  some  of  the  later 
freaks  and  are  not  as  good  fish  catchers,  either,  except,  per- 
haps, the  rubber  frog,  which  is  a  very  good  bait. 


The  Decker  Bait. 

The  trolling  spoon  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  success- 
ful of  artificial  baits  and  is  adapted  to  the  capture  of  all 
fresh-water  game  fish,  as  well  as  many  kinds  of  ocean  fish. 
The  first  trolling  spoon  was  a  real  spoon,  or  rather  the  bowl 
of  one,  dessert  size,  with  a  hole  in  one  end  for  the  line  and  a 


74 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


single  hook  attached  to  the  other  end.  It  is  the  simplest  form 
of  spoon  bait  and  none  of  the  dozens  that  have  been  designed 
since  have  proved  more  successful.  But  very  few  of  them 
are  made  this  way  now  and  most  of  them  have  a  small  ring 
at  the  small  end  of  the  spoon  and  it  spins  on  a  short  section 
of  heavy  brass  wire  having  a  loop  at  one  end  for  a  treble 


The  Booster  Bait  and  the  Fish  Nipple. 

nook  and  at  the  other  end  a  loop  to  which  a  brass  or  bronze 
swivel  is  fastened.  Under  the  spoon  is  a  short  tube  fitted 
loosely  on  the  wire  and  sometimes  a  bead  is  placed  over  this 
for  the  spoon  to  revolve  on.  The  hooks  may  be  plain,  but 
are  more  often  covered  with  feathers  or  deer  hair  to  conceal 
the  hooks  and  act  as  weed  guards.  The  spoon  may  be  of 


The  Pearl  Minnow. 


any  kind  of  metal  and  is  plated,  painted  or  polished  to  make 
it  more  attractive,  usually  being  one  color  on  the  inside  and 
another  color  on  the  other.  Spoons  are  also  made  of  mother- 
of-pearl,  which  is  very  attractive. 

Tandem    spoon   baits   are   also   made,   one   spoon   being 
placed  a  short  distance  above  the  other. 


ARTIEICIAL  BAITS. 


75 


1 — Phantom    Minnow;    2 — Shakespeare    Minnow;    3 — Dowagiac 
Minnow;   4 — Coaxer  Bait;    5 — Pearl  Wobbler. 


76 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


The  spoon  may  be  of  any  of  the  standard  shapes,  and  I 
think  it  makes  little  difference  whether  it  is  round,  oblong  or 
kidney  shaped,  smooth  or  fluted.  The  size  is  more  im- 
portant and  I  think  that  the  smaller  ones  catch  the  most  fish. 
A  spoon  measuring  about  If  inch  long  will  be  best,  in  my 
opinion,  for  most  fishing,  although  very  large  ones  are  used 


The  Little  Wonder  Bait. 


for  muskellunge.  The  illustration  showing  a  muskellunge 
spoon  says  "Cut  £  size,"  but  this  is  a  mistake.  The  exact 
length  of  this  spoon  is  3£  inches.  It  makes  no  difference,  to 
my  mind,  whether  the  hook  is  feathered  or  not,  but  a  buck- 
tail  or  feathered  hook  will  catch  fewer  weeds.  If  a  single 
hook  is  used,  and  I  prefer  that,  it  need  not.be  draped,  but  if 


The  Champion  Bait. 

it  is  the,  feathering,  should  not  be  heavy.  There  are  also 
spoon  baits  with  large  fly  hooks  attached  which  are  very 
popular  for  bass  fishing. 

The  only  spinner  that  should  be  used  for  bass  and  trout 
is  the  small  casting  spoon,  which  is  a  very  small  spoon  with 
a  single  undraped  hook  attached.  A  worm  can  be  used  on  the 


ARTIEICIAL  BAITS 


77 


78 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


hook  but  it  is  unnecessary  —  the  spoon  alone  is  attractive 
enough.  The  double  hook  casting  spoons  are  for  use  with 
live  bait 


The  Lifelike  Minnow  Bait. 

A  very  good  bait,  attractive  to  all  game  fish,  is  the  Pearl 
Wabbler.  The  darting  movement  of  this  spoon  makes  it 
very  attractive.  There  are  other  spoons  of  metal  made  on 


A  Spoon  Bait  with  Fly  Hook. 

the  same  pattern.    These  are  the  same  as  the  original  trolling 
spoon  except  that  they  have  treble  hooks. 

In  addition  to  spoons  there  are  also  spinners  which  serve 
the  same  purpose.    They  are  leaf-shaped  blades  attached  by 


ARTIFICIAL  BAITS. 


79 


80  SCIENCE  OP  FISHING. 

loops  along  the  center  line  to  a  brass  wire  link  and  the  lobes 
of  the  leaf  being  turned  in  opposite  directions  cause  the 
blade  to  revolve  rapidly  when  drawn  through  the  water. 

In  late  years  since  bait-casting  has  become  so  popular 
large  numbers  of  artificial  baits  have  been  placed  on  the 
market.  They  are  of  every  imaginable  shape  and  combina- 
tion of  colors,  and  to  describe  all  of  them  or  to  say  which  is 
best  is  impossible ;  indeed,  I  can  say  that  there  is  no  "best" 
bait,  for  the  one  that  catches  the  most  fish  one  day  must  take 
a  back  seat  the  next,  and  some  other  one  will  prove  more 
tempting.  Again,  the  bait  that  is  good  in  some  waters  is  not 
good  in  others. 

Some  time  ago  there  was  a  warm  controversy  between 
the  manufacturers  of  the  Decker  and  the  Coaxer  baits,  which 
ended  in  a  fishing  contest.  The  outcome  could  hardly  be 
called  decisive,  but  it  was  proved  conclusively  that  they  are 
both  excellent  baits  for  black  bass. 

There  are  many  baits  of  the  minnow  form  and  I  think 
they  are  all  attractive  at  times.  These  are  made  in  all 
colors,  usually  have  a  spinner  at  head  and  tail  and  three  sets 
of  treble  hooks,  the  rear  treble  sometimes  feathered.  Some 
of  these  have  weedless  hooks  and  if  the  water  is  grassy  or 
weedy  it  is  best  to  use  that  kind,  otherwise  the  plain  ones  are 
preferable.  Some  of  these  minnow  baits  have  no  spinners 
at  all  and  some  have  only  one  or  two  gangs  of  hooks.  There 
are  large  ones  and  small  ones;  fat  ones  and  slim  ones. 

Some  of  these  are  surface  baits  and  some  are  under- 
water baits.  One  known  as  the  Wagtail  Witch  dives  beneath 
the  surface  when  reeled  in  rapidly,  otherwise  rides  on  the 
surface.  The  Nemo  bait  is  both  a  surface  or  under-water 
bait,  depending  on  where  the  weight  is  placed.  The  Roamer 
resembles  a  large  bug  and  it  is  said  to  be  a  good  bait.  Some, 
such  as  the  Moonlight  Floating  Baits,  are  luminous  for  use 
at  night.  There  is  a  Pearl  Minnow  which  is  a  combination 


ARTIFICIAL  BAITS. 


81 


of  spoon  and  minnow  bait,  and  so  the  list  mounts  up  and 
each  season  there  are  many  new  ones  added  to  the  list. 

One  that  is  known  as  the  Booster  bait  is  on  the  bordei 
between  the  artificial  and  the  natural  baits.  It  is  made  oi 
red,  white  and  yellow  cloth  and  is  filled  with  substances  said 
to  attract  fish  by  its  taste  or  odor  when  wet.  It  has  no 
hooks  and  is  used  same  as  a  natural  bait.  Each  bait  will  last 
for  a  day  or  a  day  and  a  half  of  fishing. 

For  salt-water  fishing  artificial  baits  are  also  used,  but 


No   1 


No.  2 


Fluted  Casting  Baits  or  Spoons. 

they  do  not  vary  so  much  in  form.  They  are  usually  some 
form  of  spoon  or  an  imitation  of  a  small  squid  or  cuttlefish 
and  called  squids. 

Squids  are  made  of  block  tin,  bone,  cedar  wood 
(weighted)  and  pearl.  They  are  used  for  mackerel,  weak- 
fish,  bluefish,  etc. 

Spoon  baits  for  use  in  salt-water  are  of  large  size  and 
usually  have  the  hooks  attached  to  the  end  of  the  spoon. 
The  Wilson's,  Sam's  and  Stewart  spoons  are  the  most 


82 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


popular.    They   are   used    for  kingfish,    barracuda,   bluefish, 
yellowtail,  tarpon,  sea  trout,  mackerel,  amberjack,  etc. 

There  are  also  spinning  baits  for  mackerel  and  weakfish 
and  others  for  striped  bass.  These  latter  are  to  be  baited. 
They  are  mounted  on  double  hook  rigs  and  are  shaped  like 
the  spinners  made  for  fresh-water  fish,  like  a  triangular, 
deeply  lobed  leaf,  placed  upside  down. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
Landing  Nets,  Gaffs,  Tackle  Boxes,  Etc. 

iHILE  the  rod,  reel,  line  and  hooks  or  arti- 
ficial bait  are  the  most  necessary  articles, 
and  in  many  cases  all  that  is  really  required 
for  catching  and  landing  an  ordinary  fish 
there  are  other  articles  that  are  useful  and 
sometimes  can  not  safely  be  omitted.  Of  such 
is  the  landing  net,  for  it  is  of  great  value  foi 
landing  a  heavy  or  lively  fish.  Many  bass  and  trout  fisher- 
men do  not  use  a  landing  net,  but  many  of  these  fish  are 
lost  because  of  it  and  it  is  nearly  always  the  big  one  that 
escapes  in  this  way.  For  the  more  common  fishes  it  is  not 
so  much  needed  as  stronger  tackle  is  used  and  there  is  less 
danger  of  it  giving  way. 

Landing  nets  may  be  divided  into  two  classes;  those  for 
use  when  fishing  from  the  shore  or  from  a  boat  and  those 
for  use  when  wading.  For  the  first  mentioned  use  a  net 
with  a  handle  of  from  two  to  four  feet  is  needed.  The  long 
handle  is  best  when  the  time  comes  to  net  the  fish,  but  it  is 
less  convenient  in  carrying,  therefore  the  longer  handle 
should  be  selected  for  use  from  a  boat  and  the  shorter  length 
when  fishing  from  the  shore,  but  for  this  latter  it  should 
never  be  less  than  two  feet  long. 

The  frame  or  ring  of  the  net  should  be  of  steel  or  other 
rust-proof  and  strong  metal.  It  may  be  either  oval  or  round 
and  need  not  be  of  large  size. 

The  net  should  be  made  of  strong  twine  and  should  be 
deep  and  have  a  square  bottom.  The  whole  net,  frame  and 

83 


84 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


handle,  should  be  strong,  and  especially  where  frame  and 
handle  meet. 

For  use  when  wading  the  streams  the  net  should  be  of 
the  same  kind  but  should  have  a  very  short  handle  with  a 
rubber  cord  to  hang  from  the  neck.  This  keeps  the  net  up 
out  of  the  way  when  fishing,  but  the  elastic  cord  allows  the. 
angler  to  reach  out  to  the  length  of  his  arm  to  net  the  fish. 

Some  of  these  nets  have  wooden  frames  and  solid 
handles.  Some  have  detachable  handles  and  many  fold  up 
or  collapse  in  one  way  or  another,  to  make  them  more  easily 


A  Banding  Net  for  use  While  Wading  Streams. 

transported.  Some  have  hollow  handles  in  which  the  frame 
may  be  placed  when  not  in  use;  others  have  jointed  handles= 
One  may  be  coiled  up  into  a  very  small  size,  but  by  far  the 
greatest  number  of  wading  nets  simply  fold  the  handle  into 
the  net  ring  or  frame.  There  are  too  many  kinds  and  they 
differ  too  much  to  be  described  fully  here,  but  one  need  only 
look  through  the  catalogues  of  one  of  the  large  dealers  in 
fishing  tackle  to  see  descriptions,  and  should  have  no  trouble 
finding  something  to  suit  his  requirements.  Landing  nets 
range  in  value  from  thirty  or  forty  cents  up  to  three-fifty  or 


LANDING  NETS,  GAFFS,  TACKLE  BOXES,  ETC. 


85 


thereabouts,  depending  on  the  style  and  quality.  Some 
frames  and  handles  are  sold  without  nets,  and  the  cost  of  a 
net  must  be  added  to  them. 


FOLDING    PATTERN   LANDING    NETS. 
1 — Barnes,     Folded  ;     2 — Barnes,     extended  ;     3 — Dorsal     Fin 
(head  Springs  out  Straight  and  Slips  into  Handle)  ;  4 — Collaps- 
ing, Jointed  Handle;  5 — St.  Lawrence. 

Regarding  the  use  of  a  landing  net,  like  in  most  other 
things,  there  is  a  right  and  a  wrong  way.  The  proper  way  is 
to  play  the  fish  until  he  is  fully  exhausted  and  gives  up  fight- 
ing, then  submerge  the  net  and  lead  the  fish  over  it.  Never 


86 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


shove  the  net  under  the  fish.  The  best  thing  then  is  to  give 
him  a  little  slack  by  lowering  the  rod  and  he  will  turn  head 
down  over  the  net,  when  it  should  be  raised,  lifting  the  fish 
from  the  water.  If  the  fish  is  really  exhausted  this  may  be 
done  with  perfect  safety,  but  if  he  is  not  you  should  not  give 


A  Pocket  Landing  Net. 


him  any  slack  line  or  attempt  to  net  him  head  first.  But  you 
should  never  attempt  to  land  a  fish  as  long  as  he  is  in  a 
fighting  humor  —  you  always  have  plenty  of  time,  so  wear 
him  out  and  land  him  in  safety.  Also  never  try  to  land  a 
fish  in  swift  water  —  lead  him  into  a  quiet  place  before  you 
try  netting  him. 


LANDING  NETS,  GAFFS,  TACKLE  BOXES,  ETC.          87 

It  is  only  the  smaller  game  fish  that  are  landed  with  a 
net.  Large  fish  such  as  pike,  muskellunge,  salmon,  large 
trout  and  all  kinds  of  sea  fish  are  drawn  out  of  the  water 


Marble's  Clincher  Gaff. 

with  a  hook,  known  as  a  gaff,  after  they  have  been  piayed  to 
exhaustion.  They  are  sharp  steel  hooks,  two  inches  or  more 
wide,  depending  on  the  size  of  fish  they  are  to  be  used  for, 
and  have  handles  from  one  and  one-half  to  eight  feet  long. 


38  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

Some  of  these  hooks  are  made  to  lash  onto  a  handle  that  is 
cut  on  the  fishing  grounds;  others  have  the  handle  in  short 
sections  and  screw  together.  For  horse  mackerel  and  other 
very  large  sea  fish  a  combination  of  gaff  and  harpoon  is 
used.  The  hook  is  barbed,  and  when  hooked  into  the  fish  it 
detaches  from  the  handle,  the  hook  being  fastened  to  a  rope 
with  wire  leader,  which  is  used  to  tow  and  land  the  fish  with. 

There  are  also  what  are  known  as  automatic  gaffs,  fitted 
with  barbed  jaws  which  close  on  the  fish  when  pressed 
against  it.  The  Norlund  is  of  this  kind. 

The  Clincher  gaff  shown  here  needs  no  explanation,  as 


GAFF  HOOKS. 
1 — Ordinary  Gaff;  2 — Ideal;  3 — Norland's. 

the  illustration  shows  how  it  is  used.    It  can  be  used  instead 
of  a  landing  net  for  fish  of  medium  size. 

One  thing  that  the  fisherman  must  provide  himself  with 
is  something  in  which  to  carry  his  catch.  For  fish  of  ordi- 
nary size,  such  as  bass,  trout,  etc.,  that  are  taken  when  walk- 
ing the  shore  or  wading,  and  when  the  fish  must  be  carried 
long  distances,  there  is  nothing  so  good  as  the  willow  creel, 
or  basket.  The  various  makes  are  so  much  alike  that  all 
that  we  need  say  regarding  them  is,  get  one  large  enough  to 
hold  a  large  fish  without  bending  him.  While  some  sports- 
men are  likely  to  look  on  the  carrier  of  a  large  basket  as  a 
"fish  hog,"  he  need  not  be  one  simply  because  he  has  a  large 


LANDING  NETS,  GAFFS,  TACKLE  BOXES,  ETC.  89 

basket.  It  should  hold  the  fish  without  crowding  and  should 
also  hold  the  angler's  lunch  and  some  spare  tackle.  On  the 
inside  of  the  cover  you  can  fasten  a  leather  purse  to  hold 
your  fly  book,  leader  box,  etc.,  and  all  through  the  large 
creel  will  be  most  satisfactory.  There  are  also  canvas  creels 
but  I  do  not  know  much  about  them. 

The  creel  must  be  provided  with  a  suitable  shoulder 
strap.  The  part  that  goes  over  the  shoulder  may  be  webbing 
and  the  other  parts  of  leather.  It  hangs  on  the  left  side 
when  in  use  and  the  strap  hangs  over  the  left  shoulder,  al- 


A  Creel  or  Fish  Basket. 

lowing  free  use  of  the  rod  arm.  The  strap  is  held  from 
slipping  off  by  a  narrow  strap  that  passes  around  the  chest, 
under  the  right  arm. 

For  still  fishing  or  use  when  fishing  from  a  boat  you 
can  use  either  a  fish  bag,  which  is  made  of  twine  and  about 
the  size  of  a  landing  net,  or  a  stringer  made  of  twine  or 
chain.  The  stringer  has  a  needle  at  one  end  and  a  crossbar 
at  the  other  and  the  fish  are  threaded  on  by  passing  the 
needle  in  the  gills  and  out  of  the  mouth.  By  fastening  the 
stringer  in  the  water  the  catch  will  live  all  day.  The  fish 
bag  is  used  the  same  way,  keeping  the  fish  alive. 


90  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

If  you  are  a  live  bait  user  you  will  want  a  minnow  trap. 
There  are  several  good  glass  traps  which  if  baited  with 
cracker  crumbs  and  let  down  into  suitable  water  for  a  day 
or  a  night  will  catch  plenty  of  small  fish  for  bait.  They 
also  catch  crawfish  sometimes.  There  is  a  device  that  can  be 
fitted  into  the  mouth  of  a  common  glass  fruit  jar  and  makes 
a  very  good  minnow  trap. 

Some  anglers  prefer  to  use  a  net  for  catching  minnows. 
One  of  the  nicest  of  these  works  like  an  umbrella  and  occu- 
pies but  small  space  when  not  in  use.  The  net  is  also  useful 
for  catching  crawfish. 


A  Chain  Fish  Stringer. 

If  you  have  any  fishing  tackle  worth  mentioning  you 
will  want  a  tackle  box  in  which  to  keep  it  and  in  which  to 
carry  it  when  going  on  a  fishing  trip  or  out  on  the  water  in 
a  boat.  Nothing  is  more  annoying  than  to  not  be  able  to 
find  some  very  much-needed  article  when  getting  ready  for 
fishing  and  especially  so  if  you  are  wanting  to  get  an  early 
start  to  the  fishing  place  and  have  slept  a  little  too  long. 
Of  course  a  prudent  angler  will  not  wait  until  morning  to 
get  his  outfit  together,  but  he  wants  it  all  together  just  the 
same,  and  you  will  want  some  means  of  carrying  it  all  when 
going  on  a  fishing  trip.  Then  again  you  want  it  all  together 


LANDING  NETS,  GAFFS,  TACKLE  BOXES,  ETC.  91 

when  you  go  out  on  the  lake  in  a  boat,  for  you  may  want 
to  try  some  other  bait,  or  you  may  want  to  quit  the  fly  tackle 
and  try  bait-casting  as  the  day  advances. 

Tackle  boxes  are  made  of  leather,  copper  or  japanned  tin, 
and  if  you  are  of  a  mechanical  turn  you  can  make  one  your- 
self out  of  wood.  Ordinarily  they  are  made  with  compart- 
ments for  reels,  artificial  baits,  hooks,  lines,  and  other  articles 
that  are  likely  to  be  needed.  There  are  usually  one  or  more 
trays  that  lift  out.  The  leather  and  copper  ones  are  best 


A  Glass  Minnow  Trap. 

but  one  can  get  just  the  kind  he  needs  or  the  kind  he  can 
afford. 

A  fly  fisherman  must  also  have  a  fly  book  in  which  he 
can  carry  a  stock  of  flies  of  various  patterns.  These  are 
made  of  seal  or  Morocco  leather,  alligator,  pigskin,  and  the 
cheaper  ones  of  canvas.  Here  again  one  may  purchase  what 
he  can  afford,  but  the  higher  grades  are  always  best.  It 
is  not  necessary  though  that  they  hold  a  large  number  of 
flies  for  my  experience  is  that  a  large  variety  is  seldom 
needed  and  the  majority  of  fly  fishers  do  not  use  over  a  dozen 
patterns.  I  have  even  known  fishermen  to  fish  through  an 


92 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


entire  season  using  only  two  or  three  patterns  of  flies.  But 
even  though  you  do  favor  a  few  patterns  only,  you  will  want 
plenty  of  that  kind  and  you  want  a  convenient  method  of 
carrying  them,  so  that  you  can  pick  out  the  very  fly  you  want 
and  separate  it  from  the  others  with  the  least  possible  loss  of 
time  and  temper. 

Among  the  books  most  popular  are  the  Jack  Frost,  the 
Cooper,  the  Mansfield,  the  Levison,  the  Orvis,  and  the  Chubb. 
Modifications  of  the  older  styles  are  also  made.  In  most 
of  the  old  styles  the  flies  are  held  by  clips  of  some  kind  on 
pages  like  the  page  of  a  book.  Some  of  them  have  serrated 


A  "Lead  in"  that  makes  a  Minnow  Trap  of  an  Ordinary  Glass 

Jar. 

edge  strips  of  metal  at  the  ends  of  the  leaves  to  hold  the 
hooks,  and  a  coiled  wire  spring  in  the  center  to  hold  the 
snells  straight.  Others  have  the  springs  arranged  longi- 
tudinally, a  separate  one  for  each  fly  snell,  and  they  keep 
the  snells  stretched  so  that  they  dry  straight  and  are  always 
held  securely,  though  easily  removed.  The  Levison  is  of 
this  kind.  All  of  them  have  felt  pads  between  the  leaves 
to  dry  the  flies  after  using. 

The  Mansfield  has  removable  folders  to  hold  the  flies. 
This,  like  the  loose  leaf  system  is  very  convenient  as  the 
fisherman  may  carry  just  as  many  or  a  few  flies  as  he 
likes 


LANDING  NETS,  GAFFS,  TACKLE  BOXES,  ETC.  93 

The  Cooper  fly  book  is  one  of  the  latest.  It  is  of 'the 
loose  leaf  kind  and  has  an  envelope  on  each  leaf  for  the 
flies.  The  envelopes  each  hold  from  three  dozen  to  six 
dozen  flies  and  they  have  celluloid  windows  at  the  top  so 
that  the  flies  are  in  full  view.  These  envelopes  are  claimed 
to  be  moth  proof.  It  also  has  a  drying  pad,  a  leader  holder 
and  a  pocket  for  bait  hooks. 


A  Metal  Tackle  Box. 

Another  made  on  a  somewha+  similar  plan  is  the  Jack 
Frost.  It  has  celluloid  envelopes  to  hold  the  flies  and  the 
envelopes  are  held  in  place  in  the  book  by  snap  buttons. 
It  has  an  aluminum  box  with  moistening  pads  for  leaders 
and  for  moistening  the  snells  of  the  flies  before  using.  A 
chain  is  also  provided  so  that  it  will  not  be  lost. 


94  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

Small,  oblong,  aluminum  boxes  may  be  had  to  carry 
leaders  and  snelled  flies  in  for  moistening.  These  have  felt 
pads  which  are  made  wet  and  by  placing  the  leaders  and 
fly  snells  under  them  they  are  softened  and  strengthened, 
which  should  always  be  done  before  they  are  used.  But 
they  should  not  be  left  between  these  damp  pads  after  the 
day's  fishing. 

Eyed  flies  are  carried  in  metal  boxes  or  cases.  These 
have  either  got  clips  to  hold  each  fly  separately  or  strips 
of  cork  in  which  the  points  of  the  hooks  are  held. 

In  case  the  fly  book  has  no  pads  for  moistening  the 
leaders  the  angler  should  have  a  leader  box  for  this  pur- 
pose. These  are  flat,  round  boxes,  about  four  inches  in 
diameter,  with  hinged  cover,  and  are  fitted  with  felt  pads 
for  moistening.  The  boxes  are  made  of  aluminum,  copper, 
or  steel. 

Two  other  articles  that  I  want  to  mention  before  clos- 
ing this  chapter  are  the  hook  disgorger  and  the  line  releaser. 
The  former  is  most  useful  in  fishing  for  bottom  feeding  fish, 
which  swallow  the  hook.  It  is  an  instrument  so  shaped  that 
it  fits  into  the  curve  of  the  hook  and  by  its  use  a  swallowed 
hook  may  be  removed  without  difficulty,  and  without  the 
usual  surgical  operation,  which  is  not  pleasant  for  a  tender- 
hearted angler.  The  hook  releaser  is  useful  when  fishing 
along  wooded  streams,  and  especially  for  fly  casting.  Its 
purpose  is  to  release  a  hook  that  gets  entangled  on  a  branch 
that  is  out  of  reach  of  the  hand.  It  is  simply  a  hook- 
shaped  knife  with  a  cord  attached,  and  to  use  it,  you  fix  it 
on  the  tip  of  the  rod  and  hook  it  over  the  branch,  then  re- 
move the  rod  and  pull  the  cord,  cutting  the  branch  to 
which  the  hook  clings. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Bait  Casting 

VERY    angler    has    a    favorite    method    of 
fishing;     he    may    be    a    fly-caster,    or    he 
may    be    a.    still    fisherman,    but    probably 
nine-tenths    of    present    day    anglers    who 
fish  for  black  bass,  pickerel,  etc.,  are  bait- 
casters,  using  either  live  bait,  or  the  artificial 
baits  before  described. 

Except  in  places  where  deep  water  is  found 
near  the  shore  or  bank,  and  when  fishing  from  a  boat,  the 
angler  knows  that  he  will  get  the  most  fish  by  getting  his 
bait  out  several  rods  from  him,  where  the  water  is  deeper, 
or  where  the  fish,  not  being  able  to  see  him,  have  not  become 
frightened.  The  way  of  the  still  fisher  is  to  use  a  long 
cane  rod,  say  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  long,  and  a  line  nearly 
as  long  as  the  rod.  With  this  outfit  he  may  be  able  to 
reach  out  thirty  feet  from  shore.  But  neither  the  line  nor 
the  rod  can  be  conveniently  lengthened,  and  the  length  of 
the  cast  is  limited  to  the  combined  length  of  rod  and  line, 
at  the  best.  This  is  a  serious  handicap,  for  the  best  places 
are  always  out  of  reach,  and  as  fishermen  in  general  are 
ambitious,  is  it  any  wonder  that  the  mode  of  casting  the 
bait  from  the  reel  was  discovered  and  perfected  as  it  is  today. 
Formerly  live  baits,  minnows,  small  frogs,  helgramites, 
crawfish,  etc.,  were  much  used,  but  now  the  artificial  baits 
are  gradually  taking  their  place.  This  is  not  because  the 
one  method  is  unsportsmanlike,  but  because  it  is  more  con- 
venient and  more  enjoyable  to  fish  with  an  inanimate  bait, 
and  many  denounce  the  use  of  live  bait  as  cruelty. 

95 


THE  FRUITS  OF  BAIT  CASTING. 
Gust  Melin.  of  Michigan   with   two   Five-pound    Small  Mouths. 


BAIT  CASTING.  97 

Each  of  these  styles  of  bait  fishing  requires  a  different 
mode  of  casting  the  lure,  and  as  the  live  bait  fishing  is 
older  than  the  other  I  will  describe  the  old  method  of  bait- 
casting  first. 

For  this  the  bait  rod  is  used,  and  it  should  be  about 
eight  or  eight  and  a  half  feet  in  length.  The  reel,  above 
the  handle,  is  a  quadruple  multiplier,  and  when  the  rod  is 
turned  with  reel  seat  up,  the  handle  end  of  the  reel  is  to 
the  left.  In  casting  the  reel  is  kept  on  top,  but  as  soon  as 
the  bait  strikes  the  water  the  rod  is  shifted  to  the  left 
hand  and  turned  with  the  reel  in  under,  which  throws  the 
handle  to  the  right  where  it  is  convenient  for  the  right  hand, 
and  the  line  runs  freely  in  the  guides,  on  the  under  side 
of  the  rod.  The  line  is  size  H,  or  No.  6,  for  bass,  and  for 
larger  fish  is  size  G,  or  No.  5  or  larger,  and  must  be  of 
soft,  undressed,  braided  silk.  The  longest  casts  can  be  made 
with  the  fine  line,  but  the  heavier  line  wears  longer.  The 
hook  must  be  of  a  size  to  suit  the  fish  sought,  and  should 
have  a  snell  of  strong  gut  or  gimp,  and  is  attached  to  the 
line  by  means  of  a  small  swivel.  No  leader  can  be  used  for 
bait-casting. 

For  bait,  the  minnow  is  most  commonly  used.  The  way 
to  hook  bait  will  be  described  later. 

We  will  suppose  now  that  an  angler  is  fishing  from 
the  shore  of  a  wide  stream,  or  perhaps  wading  the  water, 
and  he  wishes  to  cast  his  bait  to  near  the  opposite  shore, 
eighty  or  ninety  or  more  feet  distant.  He  reels  in  the  line 
until  the  swivel  is  close  up  to  the  rod  tip  and  the  bait  hangs 
only  six  or  eight  inches  from  the  end  of  the  rod.  Then  he 
grasps  the  rod  in  his  right  hand,  with  his  thumb  pressed 
firmly  on  the  spool  of  the  reel,  the  reel  turned  up,  and 
pointing  slightly  to  the  left;  then  he  turns  so  that  his  left 
shoulder  points  towards  the  place  where  the  bait  is  to  be 
cast  to,  A  in  the  diagram,  the  angler  facing  B,  and  he  drops 

7 


98  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

his  elbow  down  to  the  hip  and  points  his  rod  to  the  right, 
the  bait  down  almost  against  the  water.  Then  without  turn- 
ing his  body  he  turns  his  head  so  that  he  can  see  the  place 
he  wants  to  cast  to,  (A)  and  with  a  steady  sweeping  move- 
ment he  swings  his  right  forearm  across  in  front  of  his 
body,  to  the  left,  and  upward,  until  the  rod  points  upward 
at  about  a  twenty-five  degree  angle  and  an  angle  of  thirty 
degrees  from  the  line  of  his  shoulders;  this  is  the  end  of 
the  cast.  Just  before  reaching  this  point  the  pressure  on 
the  reel  spool  is  eased  up,  the  thumb  pressure  almost  re- 
moved, and  the  momentum  of  the  bait  drags  the  line  from 
the  reel,  the  bait  traveling  outward  and  upward  for  quite 
a  distance,  then  curving  downward  to  the  water. 


Diagram  Sho .  ing  Bait  Side  Car-t. 

But  the  pressure  on  the  spool  mui,c  not  be  entirely  re- 
leased, unless  it  is  one  of  the  self  '^numbing  kind,  or  the 
reel  will  run  so  fast  "hat  it  winds  the  line  back  the  other 
way,  bringing  the  bait  up  with  a  jerk  and  tangling  the  line. 
This  is  called  a  back-lash  and  the  back-lashes  cause  the 
amateur  more  trouble  than  everything  else  combined.  To 
learn  to  control  this  pressure  so  that  it  is  not  so  hard 
that  it  hinders  the  spool  in  movement,  and  yet  hard  enough 
to  prevent  a  back-lash,  is  the  great  secret  of  bait-casting.  It 
takes  months  of  practice  usually,  and  some  persons  are  so 
constituted  that  .hey  can  never  become  good  casters. 

The  mover. ent  of  the  rod,  already  described,  is  simple 
enough  and  easily  learned,  but  that  it  may  be  more  easily 
understood  I  will  try  to  describe  it  in  another  way.  The  rod 


BAIT  CASTING. 


99 


is  pointed  downward  and  to  the  right,  the  angle  being  about 
thirty  degrees  from  the  line  of  the  shoulders  and  it  is 
swung  across  before  you  to  the  left,  to  a  line  of  thirty  de- 
grees from  the  shoulder  line  on  that  side,  at  the  same  time 
swinging  it  upward  by  bending  the  elbow,  and  when  it 
reaches  the  limit  of  its  movement  the  butt  should  be  level 
with  the  left  shoulder.  The  butt  has  started  at  the  right 
hip  and  traveled  to  the  left  shoulder,  and  the  elbow  has 
moved  across  the  front  of  the  body,  but  close  to  the  body 
all  of  the  time.  The  rod  must  not  be  swung  too  far  or 
the  bait  will  go  to  the  left  of  the  place  you  have  in  view. 


Thumbing  the  Reel. 

The  best  casts  are  made  by  swinging  the  body  somewhat 
along  with  the  movement  of  the  forearm  and  the  entire 
movement  must  be  steady,  so  that  there  is  no  jerk,  and  so 
that  the  end  of  the  rod  stops  when  the  arm  stops. 

The  instant  the  bait  touches  the  water  the  pressure  on 
the  reel  spool  is  increased  so  that  the  reel  stops,  and  the  bait 
is  allowed  to  sink  some  distance  beneath  the  surface.  At 
the  same  time  the  rod  is  taken  in  the  left?  -hand  so  that  the 
right  hand  is  free  to  reel  in  the  line.  The  line  is  reeled  in  a 
few  yards,  then  a  pause,  then  a  few  yards  again.  When 
it  is  brought  in  quite  close  it  is  all  reeled  in  again  and 
another  cast  made.  When  reeling  in  line,  the  line  must  be 


100  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

spooled  with  the  thumb,  or  thumb  and  finger  of  the  left 
hand,  so  that  it  lays  evenly  on  the  spool  of  the  reel.  If  it 
winds  more  one  place  than  another  you  cannot  cast  well  as 
the  thumbing  of  the  reel  will  be  more  difficult.  The  com- 
mon practice  is  to  rest  the  butt  of  the  rod  against  the  body, 
holding  the  weight  of  the  rod,  and  spooling  the  line  with 
the  left  hand.  There  are  rubber  butt  caps  made  to  fit  on 
the  butt  of  the  rod  to  keep  it  from  slipping.  Another  way 
of  spooling  the  line  is  by  holding  the  rod  in  such  a  way 
that  the  left  end  of  the  reel  rests  in  the  palm  of  the  left 
hand  and  the  line  is  guided  back  and  forth  with  the  thumb. 
The  even  spooling  devices  are  a  great  help  here. 


Spooling  the  Line. 

Of  course  an  angler  who  can  cast  only  to  the  left  is 
greatly  handicapped,  but  it  is  just  as  easy  to  cast  to  the 
right.  For  this,  the  right  forearm  is  swung  across  before 
the  body  until  the  hand  is  even  with  the  left  hip  and  the 
rod  pointing  downward  to  the  left  and  the  angle  about 
thirty  degrees  from  the  shoulder  line.  Then  the  hand  and 
rod  is  swept  across  to  the  right,  and  upward  until  the  arm 
is  fully  extended  and  the  angle  of  the  rod  is  thirty  degrees 
from  the  shoulder  line,  as  before. 

The  other  method  of  casting  a  bait  is  more  modern 
and  now  a  very  popular  style  of  fishing.  It  is  known  as 
the  overhead  cast,  although  the  same  outfit  can  be  used  for 


BAIT  CASTING.  101 

a  side  cast.  The  short  bait-casting  rod  is  used,  reel  and 
line  the  same  as  in  the  other  method,  but  the  reel  is  placed 
on  the  rod  with  the  handle  to  the  right  and  is  kept  on  top 
of  the  rod  all  the  time,  and  the  guides  are  also  on  top. 
This  is  the  outfit  for  frog  casting,  and  either  a  regular 
snelled  hook  or  one  of  the  several  frog  harnesses  described 
elsewhere  can  be  used.  But  by  far  the  larger  number  of 
anglers  using  this  method,  use  one  of  the  artificial  baits  be- 
fore described. 


A  Soft  Rubber  Butt  Cap. 

As  before,  the  line  is  reeled  in  until  the  bait  is  close 
to  the  end  of  the  rod,  about  six  or  eight  inches,  and  the 
rod  is  pointed  forward  towards  the  place  where  the  angler 
wants  to  place  the  lure ;  the  thumb  pressing  on  the  spool 
of  the  reel,  which  is  on  top  but  turned  somewhat  to  the 
left;  and  the  rod  is  then  brought  upward  and  backward 
until  it  points  back  over  the  right  shoulder  to  a  level  or  a 
little  beyond;  then  with  a  quick  movement  bring  your  rod 
forward  again  to  the  original  position,  releasing  the  spool  of 
the  reel  when  the  rod  is  in  a  vertical  position  so  that  the 


102  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

bait  draws  out  the  line,  but  not  releasing  it  entirely.  In 
making  a  cast  of  any  kind  from  the  reel,  the  thumb  pressure 
must  be  increased  as  the  bait  gets  farther  away  and  the 
spool  must  be  stopped  entirely  just  when  the  bait  strikes 
the  water.  The  best  casters  do  not  turn  the  rod  so  that 
the  reel  is  exactly  on  top,  but  turned  somewhat  to  the  left, 
as  the  reel  runs  more  freely  in  that  position  and  the  line 
does  not  cling  to  the  rod  but  runs  freely  through  the  guides. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  try  this  out  on  the  stream  —  you 
can  practice  it  out  in  the  field  or  any  clear  space,  using  a 
wooden  plug  without  hooks  instead  of  an  artificial  bait. 
Practice  to  cast  accurately  rather  than  far  and  you  will  have 
less  trouble  from  back-lashes.  Even  in  actual  fishing  ac- 
curacy counts  for  more  than  distance  and  casts  of  more  than 
seventy-five  feet  are  the  exception,  even  with  the  expert. 

In  fishing  by  this  method  the  amateur  angler  should 
use  a  surface  bait,  i.  e.,  one  that  floats,  as  the  frequent 
back-lashes  and  loss  of  time  in  shifting  the  rod,  etc.,  allow 
an  underwater  bait  to  sink  into  the  weeds  and  add  to  the 
angler's  troubles.  When  he  becomes  more  expert  he  may 
use  the  underwater  bait,  especially  for  running  water,  where 
there  is  a  current,  but  in  still  water,  and  where  there  is  a 
growth  of  grass  or  water  lilies  the  surface  bait  is  more 
satisfactory. 

The  end  of  the  line  near  the  bait  gets  the  hardest  wear, 
and  it  should  be  examined  and  tested  frequently.  If  it 
shows  signs  of  weakness  cut  off  a  few  feet. 

The  reel  must  be  kept  well  oiled  and  should  be  oiled 
every  day,  especially  if  a  very  light  oil  is  used.  The  wearing 
qualities  of  your  reel  ana  the  free  and  easy  running  of 
the  spool  depend  on  its  care. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Fly  Casting. 

HE  mode  of  casting  the  artificial  fly  is 
something  very  different  from  that  em- 
ployed in  casting  a  bait,  for  in  this  the 
light  tuft  of  feathers  and  the  little  hook 
could  not  be  expected  to  draw  the  line 
out  through  the  guides,  therefore  the  weight 
of  line  must  do  the  work.  It  also  differs 
from  bait-casting  in  that  the  line  is  not  cast 
from  the  reel,  but  is  drawn  from  the  reel  by 
hand  before  making  the  cast.  The  method  of  fishing  with 
a  fly  is  also  just  the  reverse  of  bait  fishing,  as  you  shall 
see  later. 

Since  the  manner  of  handling  the  tackle  is  so  different 
it  naturally  suggests  that  the  tackle  employed  must  differ 
also,  and  so  it  does.  The  light,  slender  fly  rod  described  in 
chapter  two  is  used,  and  you  will  remember  that  the  fly 
rod  has  the  reel  seat  placed  below  the  hand  grasps  and  that 
a  different  style  of  reel  is  used.  This  reel  may  be  either 
a  single  action  click  reel  of  rubber  with  metal  bands  around 
the  side  plates,  or  one  of  aluminum  or  German  silver. 
An  automatic  reel  may  be  used  if  preferred  for  this  kind  of 
fishing  and  this  is  the  choice  of  a  large  number  of  fisher- 
men, but  the  smaller  sizes  should  be  selected  as  the  larger 
ones  are  too  heavy.  The  click  reel  should  be  attached  with 
handle  to  the  right. 

The  line  should  be  thirty  or  thirty-five  yards  long  and 
should  be  of  the  finest,  enameled  silk,  size  E  for  most  use. 
but  the  F  size  is  much  used,  especially  for  light  rods. 

103 


104  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

To  the  end  of  the  line  the  gut  leader  is  attached. 
It  may  be  three  feet  long,  with  a  single  fly  on  the  end 
(called  a  tail  fly  when  used  on  end  of  leader)  ;  or  it  may 
be  six  feet  long  with  a  fly  on  the  end  and  another  (dropper 
fly)  attached  to  the  middle;  or  it  may  be  nine  feet  long, 
with  three  flies,  but  this  latter  length  is  not  used  much  for 
the  ordinary  fly  fishing,  as  the  knot  catches  in  the  tip  when 
casting. 

This  is  the  outfit  used  for  this,  the  fine  art  of  fishing, 
and  the  modus  operandi  is  as  follows: 

Grasping  the  rod  in  the  right  hand,  reel  down,  and 
thumb  extended  on  top  of  the  grip,  draw  from  the  reel 
about  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  of  line,  letting  the  slack  fall 
to  the  ground  at  your  feet,  but  holding  onto  the  line  with 
your  left  hand.  Now  point  the  rod  out  towards  the  place 
you  want  to  cast  to,  say  twenty-five  or  thirty  feet  away, 
and  keeping  the  elbow  close  to  the  side,  throw  the  tip  of 
the  rod  upward  to  a  vertical  position,  or  perhaps  back  over 
the  shoulder  slightly,  making  this  movement  very  quickly. 
If  properly  done  the  line  shoots  high  up  into  the  air  and 
then  stretches  out  behind,  and  just  when  it  is  fully  stretched, 
make  the  forward  cast,  an  easy,  downward  sweep  of  the 
rod,  stopping  it  when  it  points  out  towards,  but  several 
yards  above,  the  spot  you  want  to  cast  to.  As  the  line 
stretches  out  ahead  of  you  at  the  end  of  this  forward  cast, 
release  the  line  you  have  been  holding  and  the  momentum 
of  the  free  line  draws  out  the  slack  line  that  has  been  drawn 
from  the  reel. 

To  make  the  fly  fall  lightly  on  the  water,  and  fall 
before  the  line  does,  elevate  the  tip  of  the  rod  gently  just 
before  the  fly  touches  the  water,  also,  to  keep  the  fly  from 
striking  with  a  "spat,"  cast  at  a  spot  about  a  yard  above 
the  water. 

The  most  difficult  thing  for  the  amateur  to  learn  is 
just  how  long  to  pause  after  the  back-cast  before  making 


FLY  CASTING.  105 

the  forward  cast.  This  pause  must  be  just  long  enough  to 
let  the  line  straighten  out  and  pull  gently  on  the  rod  tip. 
If  you  pause  too  long  the  line  drops  and  strikes  the  ground 
or  water,  and  if  you  make  the  forward  cast  before  the  line 
has  straightened  out  you  will  snap  the  flies  off  the  snell.  An 
expert  can  feel  the  pull  of  the  line  on  the  rod  tip,  as  the 
line  straightens  out  behind,  and  the  amateur  can  soon  learn 
to  wait  for  this.  If  you  hear  a  sharp  little  snap  behind 
you,  you  are  not  pausing  long  enough — you  have  made  the 
forward  cast  before  the  line  has  straightened  out. 

Avoid  throwing  the  rod  too  far  past  the  perpendicular 
as  you  can  never  become  a  good  caster  as  long  as  you  do 
that.  The  rod  should  be  carried  little  if  any  beyond  the 
vertical  line  and  the  bend  of  the  rod  will  usually  be  enough 
to  give  it  some  angle  beyond.  When  your  thumb  on  the 
grip  points  upward,  stop.  Also  avoid  a  sudden  stop  at  the 
termination  of  the  forward  cast,  as  it  causes  a  double  move- 
ment in  the  rod  tip  which  spoils  the  cast,  and  do  not  re- 
lease the  line  too  quickly;  it  is  better  to  wait  until  you 
feel  a  light  pull,  then  release  it. 

But  thirty  feet  is  not  a  long  cast  and  you  may  wonder 
how  you  are  to  reach  more  distant  spots  that  you  always 
thought  could  be  reached  by  casting.  To  do  so  you  simply 
make  a  second,  a  third,  or  even  a  fourth  cast.  With  the 
length  of  your  first  cast  out  you  draw  a  few  yards  more  line 
from  the  reel  and  make  another  cast.  It  is  made  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  first,  except  that  with  the  longer  line 
you  must  pause  longer  before  making  the  forward  cast. 
In  fishing  with  an  artificial  bait  we  cast  the  longest  distance 
possible  and  then  reel  in  the  bait.  In  fly  fishing  we  fish 
the  nearer  water  first  and  gradually  lengthen  the  cast  and 
reach  other  water,  but  even  if  you  do  not  want  to  fish  the 
nearer  water,  you  must  reach  the  extreme  distance  by  a 
number  of  casts  as  described. 

The  beginner   should  learn  first  to  cast  accurately,  and 


106 


FLY  CASTING.  107 

make  the  fly  fall  gently  at  the  shorter  distance,  before 
trying  to  cast  far.  Even  in  fishing,  accuracy  and  a  light 
dropping  of  the  fly  count  for  more  than  distance,  but  both 
are  points  to  strive  for.  When  you  have  learned  to  cast 
easily  at  short  distances  you  can  try  casting  farther,  and  it 
is  easier  learned  that  way,  also  less  likely  to  discourage  the 
beginner. 

You  need  not  go  fishing  in  order  to  learn  casting  —  you 
can  learn  it  out  on  any  smooth,  level  piece  of  ground.  Se- 
lect a  place  where  the  ground  is  covered  with  short  grass 
so  that  the  line  will  not  be  injured.  Place  your  hat  on  the 
grass,  or  a  newspaper,  weighted  with  little  stones  on  the 
corners.  You  don't  need  a  leader  or  fly,  just  the  bare  line> 
but  you  can  tie  some  small  white  object  on  the  end,  like 
a  bit  of  white  string,  so  that  you  can  easily  see  where  the 
end  of  the  line  falls. 

Remember,  the  rod  used  has  much  to  do  with  the  cast- 
ing—  in  a  way  it  is  the  rod  that  makes  the  cast,  any- 
way the  rod  that  has  a  lively  spring  —  no  suggestion  of 
weakness  or  slow  action  —  is  the  one  that  casts  best.  A  long 
cast  cannot  be  made  with  a  very  light  rod,  for  with  a  light 
rod  a  light  line  must  be  used  and  the  combination  does  not 
spell  distance.  The  expensive  rods  are  best,  but  the  amateur 
should  not  buy  an  expensive  rod  to  learn  casting  with ; 
he  can  use  one  after  he  becomes  expert  with  the  cheaper 
one.  The  fact  that  in  tournament  work,  all  of  the  longest 
casts  have  been  made  with  split  bamboo  rods  is  significant. 

This  is  the  overhead  method  of  casting  the  fly,  and  all 
fly  fishers  use  it  more  than  the  other  ways  but  the  method 
is  frequently  varied  by  the  different  fishermen.  Some,  when 
they  finish  the  forward  cast,  straighten  out  the  arm,  giv- 
ing more  force  to  the  movement,  and  some  make  the  com- 
plete cast  by  giving  the  rod  a  sweeping  movement  some- 
what on  the  line  of  a  horseshoe,  making  the  back-cast  over 
the  left  shoulder  and  the  forward  cast  from  the  right,  some- 


108  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

what  like  a  teamster  cracks  a  long-lashed  whip  near  the 
lead-team's  ears. 

In  addition  to  the  overhead  cast  there  is  the  side  cast, 
which  is  made  in  the  same  way  except  that  the  rod  is  swept 
out  at  a  level  or  nearly  so  from  one  side  or  the  other,  in- 
stead of  vertically,  as  in  the  overhead  cast.  This  cast  is 
useful  in  fishing  under  overhanging  trees,  but  such  long 
casts  cannot  be  made  in  this  way. 

Another  way  to  cast  a  fly  a  short  distance,  especially 
good  when  fishing  small  streams  where  the  brush  overhang, 
is  to  hold  the  fly  between  the  thumb  and  first  finger  of  the 
left  hand,  and,  pointing  the  rod  out  towards  where  you 
want  to  cast  to,  pull  back  on  the  fly  to  bend  the  rod  tip 
back,  then  release  the  fly  and  the  spring  of  the  rod  sends 
it  out  the  length  of  the  line. 

Still  another  way  of  casting  a  fly  that  is  quite  popular 
and  especially  good  where  trees  interfere  with  the  over- 
head cast  is  what  is  called  the  roll  cast. 

Some  line  is  drawn  from  the  reel,  as  in  the  other 
methods,  enough  so  that  when  the  rod  is  raised  to  the 
perpendicular  or  a  little  beyond,  the  line  will  still  rest  on 
the  water.  Raise  the  rod  as  mentioned,  slowly,  until  it 
'points  straight  upward  or  a  little  back  over  the  shoulder, 
then  pause  an  instant  so  that  the  line  stops  in  its  dragging 
motion,  and  make  a  quick  snappy  forward  and  downward 
cast.  This  throws  a  high  curve  in  the  line,  which  rolls 
forward,  lifting  the  leader  and  fly  from  the  water,  up  over 
the  curve  and  out  beyond  to  the  length  of  the  line.  At  the 
end  of  each  cast  a  few  yards  of  line  should  be  drawn  from 
the  reel,  before  making  another  cast  and  the  distance  will 
be  extended  in  this  way  each  time.  This  is  a  very  good  cast 
for  the  angler  to  learn.  The  fly  may  also  be  cast  to  either 
side  in  the  same  way. 

The  kind  of  casting  to  practice  depends  much  on  the 
nature  of  the  water  where  your  fishing  is  done.  If  you  fish 


FLY  CASTING.  103 

lakes  and  wide  streams  you  should  learn  to  make  long  casts, 
and  learn  to  drop  the  flies  gently,  especially  for  still  waters. 
If  you  fish  mountain  streams  where  the  trout  lurk  below 
boulders,  under  logs  and  similar  small  spots  of  water,  ac- 
curacy casting  rather  than  distance  casting  should  be  prac- 
ticed, also  practice  casting  under  logs  and  bunches  of  brush, 
over  branches  of  trees  that  hang  near  the  water,  etc.  For 
this  kind  of  water  it  will  pay  to  learn  the  side  cast  and  roll 
cast  well.  Also,  learn  to  cast  with  either  hand. 

Whether  to  cast  up  stream  or  down  stream  is  a  ques- 
tion that  every  angler  must  settle  for  himself;  there  are 
weighty  points  both  for  and  against  either  method.  To  get 
down  to  the  bottom  of  the  question,  it  is  the  sight  of  the 
angler  that  alarms  the  fish,  sending  a  trout  scurring  and 
causing  a  bass  to  turn  slightly  and  watch  the  angler,  both 
refusing  to  rise  to  the  fly.  Now  a  fish  always  lies  with  his 
head  upstream,  or  with  his  nose  to  the  current,  and  he  can 
see  straight  ahead,  to  both  sides,  and  quite  an  angle  back 
of  the  direct  transverse,  some  say  to  an  angle  on  both  sides 
of  thirty  degrees  from  the  body  line.  Therefore  to  be  in- 
visible, if  standing  out  in  the  open,  the  angler  must  be  be- 
hind the  fish  and  inside  of  a  section  of  the  circumference 
of  a  circle  comprising  sixty  degrees  of  same,  with  the  fish 
for  the  center.  From  this  vantage  point  the  angler,  if  he 
does  not  splash  or  make  too  much  commotion  in  the  water, 
can  approach  quite  close  to  a  fish  without  being  seen,  and 
long  casts  are  not  needed.  This  is  a  great  point  in  up- 
stream fishing.  Another  is  that  the  mud  or  sand  stirred  up 
by  the  angler  floats  away  behind  him,  into  the  water  that 
has  already  been  fished,  and  this  will  not  alarm  any  pros- 
pective catch.  The  points  against  upstream  casting  are  that 
the  fish  will  not  see  the  fly  if  it  falls  a  little  short,  that 
the  current  instantly  sweeps  the  fly  towards  the  angler,  after 
the  cast,  and  in  case  of  a  rise  the  angler  sometimes  cannot 
strike  quickly  enough,  or  rather  cannot  recover  the  slack 


HO  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

quickly  enough  to  set  the  hook,  and  the  fish  never  hook 
themselves  as  they  often  do  when  fishing  down  stream, 
where  the  current  keeps  the  line  taut  at  all  times.  Then 
again  it  is  more  difficult  to  wade  up  stream,  and  on  small 
brooks  you  cannot  float  the  fly  under  overhanging  brush 
as  you  can  by  fishing  down  stream.  Therefore,  to  the  ques- 
tion:  Is  it  best  to  fish  up  stream  or  down  stream?  The 
answer  is,  it  depends  on  the  kind  of  water  you  are  fishing. 
Casting  across  stream,  if  there  is  any  current,  is  a  bad  way, 
as  the  current  catches  the  line  and  makes  the  fly  act  very 
unlifelike,  and  the  angler  cannot  manipulate  the  fly  properly. 
Another  trouble  is  that  you  must  make  long  casts  or  the 
ftsh  will  see  you. 

You  must  never  cast  a  fly  from  a  high  bank,  a  Bridge, 
or  any  other  place  above  the  water's  level,  for  the  fish  will 
surely  see  you.  You  must  keep  out  of  sight  at  all  times, 
and  the  only  satisfactory  way  to  fish  with  a  fly,  on  wide 
streams,  is  to  wade  the  water.  When  wading  you  are  down 
low  and  less  likely  to  be  seen,  and  there  is  more  room  for 
your  line  in  casting.  On  small  streams  you  can  stay  on  the 
bank  but  keep  as  far  away  from  the  water  as  practicable. 

Our  American  way  of  fishing  with  the  artificial  fly 
is  to  keep  the  fly  partly  submerged,  especially  for  black 
bass.  It  is  known  as  wet  fly  fishing  in  distinction  from 
the  English  way  of  fishing  with  small  floating  flies,  or  dry 
flies.  Our  way  is  perfectly  satisfactory  for  bass  fishing, 
and  in  fishing  waters  where  the  fish  are  not  sought  much, 
but  experiments  have  proven  beyond  all  doubt  that  dry  fly 
fishing  is  a  more  killing  way  in  trout  waters  that  have  been 
hard  fished,  as  many  large  fish  may  be  caught  where  the 
wet  fly  fishers  cannot  get  a  rise.  For  dry  fly  fishing  the 
liny  dry  flies,  with  bodies  of  cork  or  some  other  buoyant 
material,  and  only  one  fly  is  used.  It  is  attached  to  a  nine- 
foot,  very  fine  single  gut  leader,  and  a  tapered  line.  The 
flies  are  of  the  eyed  kind  so  that  there  will  be  no  knot  or 


FLY  CASTING.  HI 

loop  in  the  leader  near  the  fly,  the  object  being  to  cause 
the  fly  to  fall  on  the  water  as  naturally  and  quietly  as  a 
live  insect,  to  fall  before  the  leader,  and  for  the  latter  to 
make  no  commotion.  The  fly  must  remain  on  the  surface 
of  the  water  just  like  a  real  insect,  and  must  retain  a  life- 
like appearance  and  movement.  The  flies  are  dipped  in 
an  oily  preparation  to  make  them  resist  the  water,  and  the 
line  is  rubbed  with  deer  fat  to  make  it  float  well.  This 
method  of  fly  fishing  is  being  taken  up  in  this  country  and 
is  proving  remarkably  successful. 

The  method  of  casting  the  dry  fly  is  exactly  the  same 
as  casting  the  wet  fly,  except  that  the  fly  is  not  allowed  to 
touch  the  water  at  the  end  of  the  cast  but  is  retrieved  while 
still  ten  or  twenty  feet  above  the  water  and  the  cast 
lengthened  in  this  way,  until  the  line  reaches  out  to  the 
place  in  view,  when  the  fly  is  allowed  to  settle  to  the  water. 

Fly  casting  for  salmon,  with  the  two  hand  salmon  rod 
is  done  in  the  same  way  as  casting  for  trout  and  bass,  except 
that  both  hands  are  used,  and  the  hand  that  grasps  the  butt, 
usually  the  left,  is  used  only  as  a  pivot  for  the  rod,  and  the 
movement  of  the  rod  is  executed  mainly  with  the  right 
hand,  which  grasps  the  upper  grip. 

Fly  fishing  is  the  most  refined,  artistic,  and  sportsman- 
like method  of  taking  game  fish  —  any  kind  of  fish  that  will 
rise  to  a  fly  —  and  is  withal  the  most  enjoyable.  While,  for 
some  kinds  of  fish,  it  may  not  be  as  productive  of  results 
as  some  other  kind  of  fishing,  it  is  so  much  nicer  in  every 
way,  so  much  more  enjoyable,  that  it  should  be  better 
understood  by  anglers  in  general.  Black  bass  fishers  es- 
pecially, if  not  already  acquainted  with  fly  fishing,  should 
give  it  some  study.  There  are  some  anglers  who  do  not 
even  know  that  the  black  bass  will  take  an  artificial  fly. 
For  trout  and  salmon  there  is  nothing  like  it,  and  there  are 
other  fishes  also  that  will  rise  to  a  fly. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Surf-Casting,  Trolling,  Still  Fishing,  Etc. 

MODE  of  fishing  practiced  by  salt-water  an- 
glers and  much  in  vogue  along  the  eastern 
coast  is  what  is  known  as  surf-casting.  It 
is  a  sort  of  bait-casting  from  the  beach 
into  the  ocean  surf  where  certain  fish  such 
as  channel  bass  and  striped  bass  resort  to 
feed  on  crabs,  sea  worms  and  certain  shell 
fish  that  stay  just  at  the  edge  of  the  deep  water  made  by 
the  waves  in  the  sand.  At  a  certain  distance  out  this  line 
will  be  found,  a  sudden  deepening  of  the  water,  a  cut  of 
from  a  few  inches  to  several  feet  deep.  In  this  water  is 
where  the  surf-casting  is  done,  that  is  to  say,  the  bait  is 
cast  to  that  place. 

The  rod  for  this  kind  of  fishing  was  described  else- 
where. It  should  be  seven  and  a  half  to  nine  feet  long  if 
made  with  the  plain,  long  butt,  and  somewhat  longer  if 
with  spring  butt.  It  should  be  of  split  bamboo  and  should 
weigh  in  the  neighborhood  of  twenty  ounces,  the  weight  of 
course  depending  on  the  length.  The  line  should  be  150  or 
200  yards  long  and  made  of  twisted  linen,  about  12  or  18 
thread  size.  The  reel  should  be  a  double  multiplier  made 
specially  for  this  kind  of  fishing,  with  a  throw-off  to  make 
it  a  free-spool  reel  when  casting,  and  it  should  have  a  handle 
drag  or  leather  brake.  To  the  end  of  the  line  a  triangular 
swivel  is  fastened  and  to  this  a  six-ounce  pyramidical  sinker 
and  a  short  leader,  a  foot  or  a  little  more  in  length  and  made 
of  six  strands  of  gut,  braided.  The  hook  is  a  9/0  for  red 
drum  and  striped  bass.  Shedder  crab  is  used  mostly,  for 

112 


SURF-CASTING,  TROLLING,   STILL-FISHING,   ETC.      H3 

bait.  The  angler  should  also  be  provided  with  a  rod  belt, 
having  a  leather  or  rubber  cup  to  hold  the  butt  of  the  rod, 
and  a  beach  rod  holder,  which  is  a  tube  shaped  affair  with 
a  long  spike  on  the  bottom.  It  is  stuck  into  the  sand  and 
used  to  hold  the  rod  when  baiting,  etc.,  for  rod  and  reel 
will  be  injured  if  thrown  down  on  the  sand.  The  belt  with 
rod  cup  is  to  hold  the  butt  of  the  rod  while  waiting  for  a 
strike,  also  to  "pump"  a  large  fish. 

The  casting  is  done  from  the  reel,  as  in  bait-casting, 
but  the  rod  is  handled  with  two  hands  and  instead  of  mak- 
ing a  direct  overhead  cast,  the  rod  is  swung  at  an  angle  of 
forty-five  degrees,  or  thereabouts,  from  the  vertical  line. 
The  weight  of  the  sinker  draws  out  the  line  in  the  same 
way  that  the  bait  draws  the  line  out  in  bait-casting.  The 
angler  must  be  able  to  cast  100  feet  or  more  for  this  kind 
of  fishing. 

The  bait  is  cast  out  to  the  proper  place  where  the  heavy 
pyramid  sinker  anchors  itself  in  the  sand,  and  the  angler 
reels  in  the  slack  line,  stands  the  butt  of  his  rod  in  the  rod 
cup  on  his  belt,  and  patiently  waits  for  a  bite.  After  waiting 
a  few  minutes,  if  he  fails  to  get  a  strike,  he  reels  the  bait  in 
a  couple  of  yards  closer  and  waits  again.  Occasionally  he 
reels  the  entire  line  in  to  see  that  the  bait  is  all  right  and  not 
entangled  in  sea-weed,  and  makes  another  cast. 

Trolling,  is  letting  a  revolving  bait  trail  at  the  end  of  a 
long  line  behind  a  slowly  moving  boat.  For  this  a  hand  line 
may  be  used,  but  it  is  much  nicer  to  use  a  short,  stiff  rod 
and  a  multiplying  reel.  If  a  hand  line  is  used  it  must  be  a 
strong  one.  A  metal  leader  and  swivel  is  advised,  and  the 
bait  corhmonly  used  is  the  trolling  spoon.  Of  course  the 
proper  weight  and  strength  of  tackle  depends  on  the  kind  of 
fish  sought.  Muskellunge  and  pike  require  stout  tackle,  and 
the  wire  leader  should  always  be  used. 

The  wire  leader  cannot  be  cut  by  the  fish  and  it  also 


114  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

sinks  the  line  to  the  proper  depth.  For  very  deep  fishing, 
as  for  lake  trout,  a  braided  copper  line  is  sometimes  em- 
ployed. This  is  used  in  connection  with  a  short  rod  and  the 
wooden  reel  before  described.  The  large  diameter  of  the 
wooden  reel  makes  it  espcially  good  for  a  wire  line,  as  the 
line  being  stiff  in  comparison  to  other  lines,  winds  more 
readily  on  the  large  wood  reel. 

In  trolling,  a  common  mistake  is  to  go  too  fast;  most 
of  the  fish  are  c:ught  when  moving  slowly,  about  one  and  a 
half  miles  an  nour.  The  bait  is  trolled  at  a  distance  of  about 
100  feet  behind  the  boat. 

For  a  trolling  spoon,  the  rule  is  to  use  a  bright  spoon  on 
a  dark  day  or  in  dark  waters,  and  a  sombre  colored  spoon  on 
bright  days.  As  before  mentioned,  the  smaller  sizes  seem  to 
get  the  most  strikes.  The  Archer  spinner  used  with  a  min- 
now is  also  a  good  bait  to  use  for  trolling,  especially  for  lake 
trout.  More  will  be  said  of  this  later. 

A  bait-casting  rod  may  be  used  for  trolling,  but  if  large 
fish  are  found  where  you  fish  it  is  best  to  have  a  large  reel 
and  a  long  line.  For  such  large  fish  as  muskellunge  it  is 
better  tc  ase  a  light  salt-water  rod,  about  six  feet  long,  as  a 
rod  is  likely  to  get  warped  in  trolling.  If  you  do  much  fish- 
ing where  such  fish  are  found  the  rod  will  be  generally  use- 
ful. In  case  you  do  use  a  bait-casting  rod,  use  it  from  the 
back  of  the  boat,  so  that  it  projects  straight  out  behind,  and 
never  use  it  out  over  the  boat  at  right  angles,  as  the  strain  on 
it  is  too  severe. 

Still  fishing  is  the  oldest  and  most  common  form  of 
angling,  and  if  we  consider  the  number  of  devotees,  it  is  the 
most  popular.  But  this  is  not  because  it  is  a  better  way  or 
that  it  yields  more  sport,  but  because  it  is  so  simple  and 
easily  mastered,  and  requires  no  elaborate  or  expensive 
tackle.  A  long  cane  rod  with  a  light  linen  line  of  about  the 
same  length  as  the  rod,  a  lec.d  sinker  of  the  proper  weight, 
and  some  common  ringed  hcoks  are  all  that  is  needed.  Such 


A  Catch  of   Pike  and   Suckers   from   Otter  Tail  County,   Minn- 
esota, Killed  with  Spears. 

115 


116  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

an  outfit  is  easily  handled  as  the  hook  is  simply  baited  with 
an  angleworm  or  other  natural  bait  and  thrown  out  into  the 
stream  as  far  as  it  will  reach,  providing,  of  course,  that  the 
best  place  for  fishing  lies  in  that  direction.  If  desired  a  cork, 
wood,  or  quill  float  may  be  used,  and  by  having  rod  rests  on 
the  bank  the  angler  may  "set"  his  rod,  then  retire  to  a  nice 
place  farther  up  from  the  water  where  he  can  see  the  float 
and  know  by  its  movements  when  a  fish  is  biting.  The  rod 
rests  are  crotched  sticks  stuck  into  the  bank  the  one 
nearest  the  water  being  highest  and  the  top  forked,  the  other 
one  having  a  hook,  a  short  branch,  near  the  projecting  end, 
and  the  rod  is  placed  in  the  fork  of  the  one  and  under  the 
hook  of  the  other.  When  a  fish  bites  he  is  hooked  by  a 
quick  light  jerk  and  drawn  out  of  the  water  by  a  steady  pull. 
The  proper  tackle  to  use  for  each  kind  of  'fish  will  be  men- 
tioned in  the  part  devoted  to  that  fish,  farther  on. 

Still  fishing  may  be  done  with  a  hand  line  if  desired. 
The  lines  are  simply  cast  out  into  the  water  and  the  end  tied 
fast  to  a  small  branch  or  stick  set  in  the  bank. 

Eels  and  catfish  are  sometimes  taken  at  night  by  a  line 
and  bait,  but  no  hook.  The  bait  is  a  bunch  of  angleworms 
strung  on  a  thread  and  wound  into  a  ball.  This  is  tied  to 
the  end  of  the  line  and  let  down  to  the  bed  of  the  stream 
from  a  boat.  When  a  bite  is  felt  the  line  is  slowly  drawn 
up  to  the  surface  and  the  catch  lifted  into  the  boat  by  a 
quick,  steady  lift. 

Then  there  is  the  trot  line  method.  A  long,  heavy  line 
is  fastened  at  the  bank  and  a  heavy  stone  is  tied  securely  to 
the  other  end,  then  the  line  is  taken  into  a  boat  and  paid  out 
as  the  boat  is  rowed  across  the  stream.  Where  there  is  a 
current  of  any  strength  the  boat  is  held  at  an  angle  against 
the  current  and  rowed  upstream,  in  a  quartering  direction, 
and  the  wash  of  the  current  against  the  side  carries  it 
straight  across.  When  the  end  of  the  line  is  reached  the 
store  is  dropped  overboard  and  the  line  is  in  position  to  re- 


SURF-CASTING,   TROLLING,    STILL-FISHING,    ETC.      H7 

ceive  the  hooks.  Returning  to  the  shore  the  fishermen  then 
takes  the  line  in  hand  and  attaches  first  one  baited  hook  and 
then  another,  several  yards  apart,  by  short  lines,  one  and  a 
half  or  two  feet  long.  The  hooks  are  always  large,  as  big 
fish  are  caught  this  way.  The  fisherman  pulls  the  boat  along 
by  means  of  the  line  and  does  not  use  the  oars  until  he 
reaches  the  end  of  the  line,  when  he  rows  back  to  shore.  In 
looking  at  the  hooks  and  removing  the  catch  he  simply  raises 
the  line  near  the  bank,  throws  it  across  the  bow  of  the  boat, 
and  draws  the  boat  along  hand  over  hand  from  one  hook  to 


A  Fish  Spear. 

Hie  next.  Nearly  all  of  the  large  catfish  are  caught  this  way, 
as  well  as  eels,  and  many  other  bottom  feeding  fish. 

Large  fish  are  also  taken  at  night  by  spearing  them  from 
a  boat,  using  a  five-pronged  spear  with  a  long  handle.  A 
bright  light  is  fixed  in  the  bow  of  the  boat  so  that  the  spear- 
man, who  stands  just  behind,  can  see  the  fish.  The  boat  must 
be  rowed  slowly  and  quietly.  This  is  a  favorite  way  of 
taking  pickerel. 

In  the  small  streams  of  the  East  and  South  a  method  of 
spearing  or  gigging  is  used  that  is  somewhat  different.  The 
spear  or  gig  has  the  four  square  prongs  set  close  together, 
and  the  edges  of  these  prongs  have  barbs  cut  on  them  for 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


about  an  inch  back  from  the  point.  The  handle  is  about  five 
or  six  feet  long  and  it  is  best  to  have  the  gig  fastened  to  the 
handle  by  a  long  iron  shank  as  it  does  not  disturb  the  water 
so  much  as  the  chisel  socket  often  used.  The  fisherman 
wades  slowly  up  stream  throwing  the  bright  light  from  his 
reflecting  torch  down  onto  the  bed  of  the  stream.  When  a 
fish  is  seen  the  spear  is  lowered  quietly  to  within  eight  or 
ten  inches  of  the  fish,  when  a  quick  thrust  usually  secures  the 
prize.  Many  eels  and  suckers  are  taken  this  way. 

Fishing  through  the  ice  in  winter  is  practiced  in  northern 
districts,  especially  where  pickerel  abound,  and  this  way  of 


Eel  or  Sucker  Spear. 

fishing  is  also  employed  for  trout,  lake  trout,  etc.  There  are 
many  styles  of  so-called  "pickerel  traps"  which  trip  up  or 
show  a  flag  when  a  fish  is  hooked.  The  simplest  of  these  is 
made  of  a  strip  of  thin  board  or  shingle  with  a  hole  bored 
through  near  the  narrow  end  and  the  line  fastened  at  the 
short  end.  A  hole  is  cut  through  the  ice,  the  hook  is  baited 
and  let  down,  and  a  round  stick  is  thrust  through  the  hole  in 
the  shingle  and  across  the  hole  in  the  ice.  When  a  fish 
lakes  the  bait  he  makes  a  run  with  it  and  hooks  himself  and 
his  pulling  on  the  line  trips  the  shingle  up,  warning  the 
Fsherman  that  he  has  made  a  catch.  The  fish  is  then  pulled 


SURF-CASTING,   TROLLING,   STILL-FISHING,   ETC.      H9 

up,  and  the  hook  rebaited  and  set  again.    In  this  way  one 
man  may  tend  quite  a  lot  of  these  traps. 

Food  fish  are  taken  in  nets  and  there  are  many  kinds, 
each  used  in  a  different  way.  These  are  for  the  use  of  the 
commercial  fisherman  mostly,  except  that  the  gill  net  is 
sometimes  used  by  northern  hunters  and  woodsmen  to  pro- 
vide whitefish  and  other  fish  for  their  own  use,  and  set-nets 
or  funnel  nets  are  used  in  the  East  and  South  where  it  is 
allowed  by  law,  for  the  same  purpose.  Gill  nets  are  made  of 
very  fine  linen  twine,  almost  like  thread,  and  are  knit  in  a 
mesh  of  a  suitable  size  to  take  the  average  run  of  fish.  A 


A  Pickerel  Trap,  for  Ice  Fishing. 

net  with  IJ-inch  square  mesh  is  the  most  useful  for  the 
general  run  of  fresh  water  fish.  The  nets  have  floats  at  the 
top  edge  and  weights  at  the  bottom,  and  the  ends  are  fastened 
with  light  rope  or  heavy  cords  to  stakes.  This  keeps  the 
net  stretched  and  the  fish  run  their  heads  through  but  cannot 
force  their  bodies  through  the  mesh,  and  when  they  try  to 
back  out  they  get  fast  by  the  gills.  White  suckers  may  be 
taken  this  way  when  they  go  up  stream  in  the  spring  to 
spawn.  The  gill  net  is  very  hard  to  handle  as  it  soon  gets 
badly  tangled  unless  the  fisherman  is  expert  in  its  use,  and 
the  fish  are  hard  to  remove. 


120 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


A  set  net  is  knit  in  a  tapering  cylindrical  form,  closed 
at  the  small  end,  and  a  funnel  knitted  in  the  large  end,  so 
that  the  fish  are  guided  into  the  net  through  the  small  throat 
of  the  funnel.  If  the  net  is  a  large  one  two  funnels  may  be 
made  in  it.  Sometimes  there  are  wings  running  out  from 
the  mouth.  It  is  kept  in  shape  by  means  of  hoops,  and  is  set 
by  sinking  to  the  bed  of  the  stream,  the  wings  and  tail 
fastened  to  stakes.  Sometimes  the  net  is  baited,  but  in  small 
streams  when  fish  are  moving  it  is  not. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Use  of  Natural  Baits. 

ATURAL  baits  are  those  which  most  anglers 
are  accustomed  to  using,  such  baits  as 
angleworms,  minnows,  frogs,  grasshoppers, 
helgramites,  grubs,  salt  pork,  crickets  and 
any  kind  of  real  fish-food. 
Most  common  of  all  baits  is  the  angleworm, 
and  it  is  used  more  than  any  other,  because  it 
can  be  so  easily  secured,  it  can  be  used  for  all  kinds  of  fish, 
and  is  accepted  by  all,  large  and  small  alike,  no  matter 
whether  they  are  surface  feeders  or  those  that  look  for  food 
at  the  bottom.  The  worms  may  be  used  just  as  taken  from 
the  ground,  and  are  generally  used  in  that  condition,  but 
they  may  be  made  better  bait  if  properly  prepared.  Worms, 
to  make  first-class  bait,  should  be  dug  a  week  before  wanted 
for  use,  then  washed  and  placed  in  damp  moss  in  an  earthen 
jar.  The  moss  is  washed  and  wrung  as  dry  as  possible  and 
all  sticks  and  hard  objects  picked  out.  They  should  be  sorted 
out  every  second  day  and  the  dead  or  sickly  ones  thrown 
away.  A  few  bread  crumbs  soaked  in  milk  may  be  given 
them  occasionally  and  the  moss  should  also  "be  changed.  In 
a  week  of  this  treatment  the  worms  become  toughened  and 
thoroughly  emptied  of  earthy  matter,  and  in  this  condition 
they  make  the  best  bait.  The  jar  must  be  kept  in  a  cool 
place. 

There  are  four  kinds  of  angleworms,  and  even  the  small 
boy,  who  fishes  under  the  willows  down  at  the  river's  bank, 
knows  that  some  worms  make  better  bait  than  others.  In 
the  garden  you  will  find  the  black  headed  worm,  which  may 

121 


122  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

be  distinguished  from  others  by  the  absence  oi  the  knot  or 
band  on  the  body;  also  by  its  dark  color.  It  is  a  good  bait 
and  tough,  so  that  it  lasts  longer  man  any  other.  A  small 
worm  of  a  bluish  color  is  found  under  stones,  and  under  wet 
and  decayed  leaves  in  damp,  rich  soil.  It  has  a  light  colored 
band  around  the  body  and  when  kept  for  some  time  its  color 
changes  to  pink.  This  is  called  the  marsh  worm  and  is  very 
good  for  certain  small  fishes.  The  brantling  is  found  in  soil 
under  chip  dirt,  and  manure  piles.  It  is  of  medium  color 
and  banded.  It  is  a  good  bait  but  very  soft,  and  does  not 
last  well.  Another  short,  thick  worm  is  found  in  the  same 
kind  of  places,  It  is  red  on  the  back  and  paler  beneath.  It 
is  also  good  when  fresh,  but  is  not  a  lasting  bait.  Another 
objection  to  worms  found  under  manure  piles  is  their  odor, 
which  some  fish  do  not  take  kindly  to,  but  others  do  not 
mind. 

It  is  a  common  saying  that  the  big  worm  will  catch  the 
big  fish.  There  appears  to  be  little  if  anything  in  this,  but  a 
worm  that  is  just  the  right  size  to  cover  the  hook  when  properly 
impaled,  without  crowding,  is  the  right  size,  and  as  a  rule  any 
fish  will  take  it,  large  or  small.  But  there  is  a  right  way  and 
a  wrong  way  of  baiting,  and  the  way  the  hook  is  baited  has 
much  to  do  with  its  success.  The  best  way  is  to  stick  the 
point  of  the  hook  into  the  worm  about  an  inch  or.  a  little  less 
from  one  end,  taking  enough  hold  to  keep  it  from  being  torn 
out  easily,  then  run  the  hook  through  the  middle,  and  into 
the  body  near  the  other  end,  stripping  it  over  the  point  of 
the  hook  a  short  distance  so  that  it  will  stay  and  cover  the 
hook,  but  also  leave  an  inch  of  the  end  loose  to  wriggle. 
The  point  of  the  hook  must  be  kept  hidden  for  certain  fish, 
especially  for  trout,  for  you  will  not  catch  many  trout  when 
the  point  of  the  hook  shows,  unless  the  water  is  swift,  or 
the  bait  is  kept  in  rapid  motion.  For  other  large  mouthed 
fish,  that  take  the  entire  bait  and  hook  it  may  not  matter  so 
much.  Always  use  a  whole  worm  for  a  bait,  and  never  more 


123 


124 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


than  one;  also  be  sure  to  remove  all  little  pieces  of  former 
baits.  Worms  are  best  carried  in  a  bait  box  attached  to  a 
belt. 

The  grasshopper  is  another  good  bait,  especially  for 
surface  feeding  fish.  Perhaps  no  other  bait  will  cause  a  lazy 
old  trout  to  rise  so  quickly  from  the  depths  as  will  a  lively, 
kicking  grasshopper,  and  it  is  an  almost  irresistible  bait  for 
these  fish,  even  during  the  hot  summer  months  when  the  water 


Hooks  Baited  with  T^orm  and  Hopper. 

is  clear  and  the  fish  cannot  be  lured  in  any  other  way.  If  there 
is  a  trout  there,  a  live  grasshopper  cast  lightly  out  onto  the 
pool  is  almost  sure  to  be  his  undoing.  The  hook  should  be 
entered  at  the  joint  just  behind  the  'hopper's  head  and  run 
lengthwise  of  the  body.  To  carry  this  bait  a  "hopper  coop' 
is  the  proper  thing. 

For  black  bass  and  all  of  the  large,  voracious  fish,  the 
minnow  is  the  favorite  bait.  By  minnow  I  mean  a  small 
fish,  for  small  fish  are  invariably  called  minnows  by  anglers, 


USE  OF  NATURAL  BAITS.  125 

regardless  of  the  species  of  fish.  The  small  shiner,  about 
four  inches  long,  is  the  best  bait,  especially  on  dark  days,  as 
the  silvery  sides  makes  it  more  conspicuous.  The  fish  should 
be  hooked  through  the  lips,  if  a  single  hook  is  used,  and  the 
hook  should  be  put  through  from  the  under  side,  so  that  the 
point  of  the  hook  will  be  up  and  not  so  likely  to  catch  weeds. 
In  this  way  the  fish  will  live  for  a  number  of  casts  and  a 
live  fish  makes  a  more  attractive  bait.  The  small  golden 
chubs  and  black  chubs  are  hardier  and  live  longer  than  the 
shiner,  and  they  make  good  bait,  but  are  not  as  good  for 
dark  days  or  cloudy  water  as  the  shiner.  The  small  striped 
minnows,  the  real  minnows,  are  very  good  bait  also,  if  they 
can  be  found  growing  large  enough,  but  they  are  very  tender 


Hook  Baited  with  Minnow. 

and  do  not  live  long,  so  it  is  best  to  hook  them  through  the 
body  and  use  them  as  dead  bait.  A  bass,  in  taking  the  min- 
now bait,  seizes  it  from  behind  or  from  the  side  and  runs 
some  distance  with  it,  then  stops  and, turns  the  fish  end  about 
to  swallow  it  head  first.  This  is  the  time  to  strike.  If  he  is 
stopped  before  this  he  will  give  a  tug  at  the  bait  and  should 
be  given  some  slack  line.  The  same  method  of  baiting  and 
hooking  of  the  fish  applies  to  the  capture  of  all  kinds  of  fish 
with  minnow  bait. 

There  are  several  rigs  made  for  use  with  a  dead  minnow 
or  other  bait  and  designed  to  spin  the  bait.  They  are  espe- 
cially good  for  trolling  for  muskellunge,  pike  and  lake  trout. 
The  best  known  of  these  is  the  Archer  Spinner,  which  con- 


126  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

tains  a  long  needle  on  which  the  bait  is  placed,  and  a  pair  of 
barbed  wings  or  propeller  blades  hinged  at  the  top,  which 
are  pressed  down  after  the  bait  is  on  the  needle,  so  that  the 
barbs  hold  the  bait  in  place.  The  hooks  consist  usually  of  a 
three  treble  gang,  on  gimp  snell,  trailing  alongside  the  bait 

Dead  minnows  may  be  fastened  on  large,  long-shanked 
hooks  in  such  a  way  that  they  will  spin,  if  a  swivel  is  fastened 
to  the  hook,  or  directly  above.  The  hook  is  run  into  the 
mouth  and  out  at  the  gills,  back,  and  hooked  into  the  body 
near  the  tail,  In  such  a  way  that  the  body  is  bent  into  a 
curved  shape.  This  makes  a  good  rig  for  casting  for  bass 
pike,  and  pickerel. 

Ordinarily  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  get  minnows.  A  baited 
minnow  trap  will  usually  keep  an  angler  supplied,  but  often 
the  minnows  taken  in  traps  are  too  small.  Some  chubs  and 
shiners  may  easily  be  caught  in  the  brooks  with  a  light  line 
and  very  small  hooks  baited  with  maggots  or  pieces  of  angle 
worms.  If  you  go  to  some  quiet  little  pool  where  you  can 
see  what  is  going  on  at  the  bottom  and  not  be  seen  yourself 
it  w.'ll  not  be  long  until  you  can  have  a  pail  full.  Or  you 
can  t:ike  them  with  a  net  on  the  very  small  streams,  in 
which  it  is  best  to  have  a  companion  to  drive  them  into  the 
net.  If  you  have  a  "live  box"  to  keep  them  in,  it  may  pay  to 
catch  them  in  spare  time  and  keep  a  good  supply  on  hand 
until  you  need  them.  When  fishing  for  them,  carry  a  min- 
now bucket  to  hold  the  catch,  and  get  them  into  the  live  box 
as  soon  after  catching  as  possible.  Don't  handle  them  more 
than  absolutely  necessary. 

Small  frogs  make  good  bait  for  all  game  fish  from  trout 
and  bass  to  muskellunge.  They  may  be  used  with  a  single 
hook,  by  inserting  through  the  lips  like  baiting  with  a 
minnow,  but  the  hook  should  be  placed  at  the  side  of  the 
mouth  and  the  frog  will  kick  around  more  trying  to  keep 
back  up.  There  are  frog  harnesses  and  frog  hooks  that  arc 
very  good  for  this  bait.  The  U-B.  Frog  Harness  is  a  fine 


SMALL   PIKE 
SIZE 


JAMISON'S 
FROG  HOOK 


REDUCED 

THE:  U-B 

rROG  HARNESS 


ARCHER 
SPINNER 


Some   Natural  Bait  Hooks. 
127 


128  SCIENCE  OP  FISHING. 

rig,  so  is  the  Jamison  Frog  Hook.  This  latter  has  a  small 
nose  hook  to  hold  the  frog  and  a  rubber  band  is  put  over  his 
body,  holding  him  close  to  the  hook. 

The  dobson  cr  helgramite  is  an  excellent  bait  for  many 
kinds  of  fish.  It  is  an  ugly  creature  and  is  found  under 
stor.es  in  the  stream.  In  swift  streams  they  are  easily  cap- 
tured by  turning  stones  and  holding  a  minnow  net  or  one  of 
mosquito  netting  below  the  stone,  when  the  current  will 
carry  the  helgramites  into  the  net.  They  should  be  hooked 
by  starting  the  hook  under  the  hard  shell  near  the  head  and 
out  at  the  other  edge. 

Crickets  are  not  used  much  but  make  good  bass  bait 
sometimes.  They  are  used  the  same  way  as  the  grasshopper. 

Crawfish  are  a  common  bait,  used  for  still  fishing.  They 
are  best  at  the  time  they  have  shed  the  shell,  and  in  this  con- 
dition they  may  be  hooked  through  the  body,  but  at  other 
times  they  should  be  hooked  through  the  tail.  Bass  are  fond 
of  crawfish.  The  "fish"  may  be  captured  by  turning  the  stones, 
or  by  using  a  net.  There  are  different  kinds  of  crawfish 
and  they  live  in  all  kinds  of  waters  where  conditions  are 
very  different,  therefore  a  best  way  of  catching  them  cannot 
be  given. 

A  bait  that  is  quite  a  favorite  for  bass  and  large  trout  is  a 
strip  of  fat,  salt  pork,  cut  in  the  shape  of  the  letter  V,  with  the 
hook  through  the  small  end.  Another  form  is  a  tapering 
strip  with  cuts  in  the  edges,  making  it  appear  to  have  fins  or 
legs  when  drawn  through  the  water.  The  Cooper  Weedless 
Porker  is  a  weedless  hook  described  elsewhere,  made  specially 
for  pork  bait  fishing. 

Caterpillars  and  other  like  creatures  are  sometimes  used 
successfully.  The  grub  is  also  used  but  I  have  never  found 
it  a  very  taking  bait.  The  white  wood  worm  found  in  down 
timber  is  a  good  bait,  but  soft  and  easily  pulled  from  the 
hook.  The  legs  of  a  large  frog,  skinned,  are  a  good  bait. 
For  still  fishing,  especially  for  catfish,  liver  is  very  good  bait, 


USE  OF  NATURAL  BAITS. 


129 


but  it  is  also  soft,  and  very  attractive  to  crawfish.  Small 
balls  of  dough,  sometimes  half  baked,  and  fresh  bread 
worked  into  a  paste  are  used  for  carp.  The  flesh  of  the 
fresh  water  clam  or  mussel  is  a  good  bait  for  carp  and  other 
fish.  Directions  for  using  these  baits  are  not  necessary. 

The  popular  baits  for  salt-water  fishing  are  bloodworms, 
sandworms,  sand  eels,  shrimps,  shedder  crabs,  clams,  men- 
haden (a  species  of  small  fish),  fiddlers  and  rock  crabs, 
killies  (another  species  of  small  fish),  etc.  These  baits  are 
used  about  the  same  way  as  the  fresh  water  kinds  described. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Handling  The  Hooked  Fish. 

OLDING  the  fish  after  it  is  hooked,  and 
successfully  tiring  it  out  so  that  it  can  be 
landed,  is  the  subject  that  is  not  given 
enough  attention  by  writers  on  angling, 
for  the  novice  will  often  get  as  many  strikes  as 
the  veteran  fisherman,  sometimes  more,  but  if 
he  does  not  know  how  to  "play"  the  fish  under 
all  conditions  he  will  lose  many,  and  it  is  a 
regrettable  fact  that  it  is  invariably  the  big  one  that  gets 
away. 

The  manner  of  hooking  the  fish  is  usually  a  quick  twitch 
of  the  rod,  being  a  movement  of  the  wrist  and  forearm  only, 
but  this  depends  on  the  kind  of  fishing,  for  in  still  fishing  the 
fish  either  hook  themselves  or  the  act  of  hooking  and  lifting 
from  the  water  is  all  in  one  movement.  When  reeling  in  an 
artificial  bait,  using  a  short  rod,  the  rod  should  be  held  at  an 
angle  of  about  twenty  degrees.  If  held  higher  you  may 
break  the  tip  when  you  hook  the  fish.  Even  in  still  fishing 
there  is  no  need  of  roughness  and  it  is  not  necessary  to  yank 
the  fish  up  into  a  tree-top  or  fling  it  back  into  the  field  above 
the  bank.  All  that  is  needed  is  to  keep  a  steady,  taut  line, 
and  a  quick  twitch  to  set  the  hook,  and  a  steady  lift  to  draw 
the  fish  from  his  element  is  sure  to  yield  a  larger  catch  of 
fish.  In  still  fishing  the  large  ones  are  often  lost  by  an  un- 
necessarily hard  yank  on  the  rod,  which  breaks  or  springs  the 
hook,  or  tears  it  out  of  the  fish's  mouth  when  it  has  not 
caught  well. 

But  it  is  only  the  heavy,  strong  tackle  used  in  still  fish- 
130 


HANDLING  THE  HOOKED  FISH.  131 

ing  that  will  a&ow  of  lifting  the  fish  bodily  from  the  water. 
The  light  tackle  used  for  fly  or  bait  casting  could  not  be 
used  this  way,  and  this  fishing  would  not  be  nearly  so  en- 
joyable if  we  pulled  the  fish  out  by  main  strength  —  the 
pleasure  of  such  fishing  is  mainly  in  endeavoring  to  tire  the 
fish  by  the  action  of  the  rod  and  reel,  so  that  it  can  be  safely 
landed,  and  in  circumventing  in  a  sportsmanlike  way  the 
fish's  efforts  to  escape.  The  lighter  the  tackle  used  the  more 
enjoyable  this  is,  and  the  more  sport  it  affords,  but  there  is 
always  a  limit  to  the  lightness  of  the  tackle  when  safety  and 
practical  use  are  considered.  Fishing  on  lakes  and  other 
quiet,  clear  water,  where  the  fish  has  plenty  of  room  to  run, 
you  can  use  lighter  tackle  than  in  a  place  where  you  must 
hold  the  fish  away  from  snags,  weeds,  etc.,  and  here  the 
strong  current  helps  him  out.  The  strike  or  act  of  setting 
the  hook,  is  done  with  the  right  hand,  but  the  rod  must  be 
changed  to  the  left  hand  instantly  when  the  fish  moves 
nearer  and  gives  a  slack  line  so  that  the  slack  can  be  reeled 
up  with  the  right  hand  and  the  left  hand  can  spool  the  line 
evenly  on  the  reel. 

To  put  it  in  a  few  words,  if  you  never  let  the  fish  get 
an  inch  of  slack  line  and  can  hold  him  away  from  the  snags, 
you  will  never  lose  a  fish  that  is  decently  hooked.  Usually 
the  rod  should  be  held  pointing  upward  at  an  angle  of  about 
forty-five  degrees  or  more  and  the  spring  of  the  rod,  if  the 
slack  is  kept  out  of  the  line  by  means  of  the  reel,  will  tire 
the  fish  in  time.  When  he  rushes  away  you  must  let  him 
take  out  line  or  something  will  give  way,  but  the  drag  of  the 
reel  or  your  thumb  pressure  on  the  spool  must  check  his 
rush  and  bring  him  to  a  standstill.  When  he  comes  closer 
you  must  reel  in  the  line  and  handle  the  rod  in  such  a  way 
that  he  cannot  get  a  pull  on  the  slack  or  a  chance  to  shake 
the  hook  from  his  month.  If  he  runs  towards  weeds  or 
snags  you  must  check  and  stop  him  by  pressure  on  the  spool 
of  the  reel.  If  the  snags  are  close  by  it  may  be  necessary  to 


132  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

raise  the  rod  in  such  a  way  that  the  fish  has  to  pull  against 
all  of  its  spring,  but  this  should  only  be  done  when  you  are 
using  a  strong  rod,  or  you  may  break  the  tip. 

When  using  very  light  tackle  in  open  water  a  long  line 
and  a  large  reel  must  be  used,  for,  under  the  strain  of  a  light 
rod  a  large  fish  may  make  a  long  run,  or  a  deep  sound  be- 
fore the  drag  grows  tiresome  and  he  decides  to  go  back. 
But  no  matter  what  kind  of  tackle  you  should  give  line 
grudgingly  and  take  in  line  on  every  available  occasion.  You 
have  more  chance  when  the  fish  is  near  you  and  you  know 
that  he  is  in  clear  water,  and  more  line  with  which  to  check 
a  run.  If  the  fish  is  a  big  one  you  may  lose  line  and  re- 
cover it  again  many  times  before  you  tire  your  catch  out,  and 
you  should  never  try  to  use  a  landing  net  or  gaff  hook  until 
your  fish  is  tired  out  and  gives  up  the  fight,  even  then  you 
must  be  careful.  In  rapid  streams  you  should  always  lead 
the  fish  into  open,  clear  water,  where  the  current  is  not 
strong. 

With  an  automatic  reel,  if  adjusted  to  about  the  right 
tension  for  the  fish  sought,  or  rather  to  what  the  rod  will 
stand,  all  that  is  needed  to  keep  the  fish  from  getting  a  slack 
line  is  to  keep  the  tip  of  the  rod  up  and  the  third  or  fourth 
finger  pressed  on  the  lever  of  the  reel,  and  the  fish  can  only 
take  line  against  the  tension  of  the  reel  spring  and  the 
action  of  the  rod.  When  he  lets  up  the  reel  automatically 
draws  in  the  slack  line,  maintaining  the  same  tension  until  the 
fish  is  tired  out.  When  using  an  automatic  reel  on  a  fly  rod, 
if  desired,  the  line  may  be  drawn  in  and  paid  out  by  the 
left  hand,  and  the  reel  only  used  to  take  up  the  recovered 
line.  Nearly  all  fly  fishers  retrieve  the  line  by  hand  when  a 
common  click  reel  is  used. 

Some  kinds  of  fish  fight  entirely  beneath  the  surface  — 
others  break  water  frequently  and  sometimes  leap  a  foot  or 
more  out  of  the  water.  The  black  bass  is  one  of  the  latter 
kind.  The  rule  governing  the  handling  of  the  rod  when  a 


HANDLING  THE  HOOKED  FISH.  133 

fish  breaks  water  is  more  easily  given  than  followed.  It  is 
to  merely  lower  quickly  the  tip  of  the  rod  when  the  fish  leaps 
if  the  line  is.  long,  so  that  he  will  not  fall  on  a  taut  line,  but 
the  line  must  be  recovered  instantly  after  he  strikes  the 
water.  On  a  short  line  the  tip  of  the  rod  should  be  raised  a 
little  as  the  fish  leaps  and  lowered  as  he  falls.  This  requires 
such  quick  action  of  brain  and  muscles  that  few  amateurs 
accomplish  it  and  sometimes  it  is  better  to  simply  let  the 
natural  spring  of  the  bent  rod  recover  the  slack.  If  the  fish 
is  deep  you  can  feel  the  slack  as  he  rises  to  the  surface  and 
should  reel  in  the  line  rapidly,  also  prepare  for  a  leap  from 
the  water.  When  he  goes  down,  lower  the  rod. 

When  fishing  from  a  boat,  if  it  is  anchored,  don't  forget 
the  rope,  and  when  the  fish  goes  through  under  the  boat 
swing  the  rod  to  the  other  side  and  the  line  around  the  end 
of  the  boat,  the  same  end  under  which  the  fish  has  gone  with 
your  line. 

If  you  can  keep  this  up  long  enough  you  are  sure  to 
tire  out  the  fish  sooner  or  later.  As  a  rule,  the  larger  the 
fish  the  longer  it  will  take  to  tire  him  —  this  applying  to  fish 
of  the  same  species,  for  some  species  fight  harder  and  longer 
than  others. 

When  the  fish  grows  quiet  and  shows  his  side,  he  is  tired 
and  you  can  reel  him  in  but  must  be  careful  in  landing  him. 
If  you  have  no  net  or  gaff,  and  the  fish  is  not  too  large,  you 
can  get  hold  of  the  line  with  your  hand,  but  make  no  quick 
moves,  and  slipping  the  hand  down  to  within  six  inches 
of  the  fish,  lift  him  into  the  boat  or  onto  the  bank  by  a 
steady,  quick  lift,  swinging  him  sideways  as  you  lift  him.  If 
you  are  using  an  artificial  bait  you  should  have  the  line 
doubled  back  at  the  end  about  six  or  eight  inches,  so  that  it 
will  be  stronger.  If  the  fish  is  very  large  and  you  have 
neither  net  nor  gaff  you  are  likely  to  lose  him,  and  you  should 
never  fish  with  light  tackle  unless  you  have  a  landing  net 
or  a  gaff  hook  with  you;  both  if  you  are  fishing  from  a  boat 


134  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

where  large  fish  are  caught  sometimes.  In  using  a  landing 
net  you  should  submerge  the  net  and  lead  the  fish  over  it, 
then  raise  the  net  In  gaffing  a  fish,  if  not  very  large,  put  the 
hook  in  his  mouth.  It  is  best  to  shoot  a  large  pike  or  a 
muskellunge  before  you  attempt  to  gaff  him,  using  a  revolver 
or  .22  caliber  rifle.  Otherwise  set  the  gaff  into  the  underside 
of  the  body  well  back  towards  the  tail. 

Large  sea  fish  are  handled  the  same  as  fresh-water  fish, 
except  that  being  larger  and  stronger  it  is  more  difficult  to 
cheek  their  rushes,  and  a  large  fish  like  the  tarpon  or  tuna 
will  sometimes  take  out  several  hundred  yards  of  line  before 
you  can  stop  him,  even  though  you  may  have  a  handle  drag 
set  at  a  heavy  tension,  and  a  leather  brake  pressed  down 
with  the  thumb.  If  you  have  neither  brake  nor  drag,  which 
is  unwise  where  big  fish  are  found,  you  must  have  thumb- 
stalls  so  that  the  revolving,  line-wound  spool  of  the  reel 
will  not  burn  your  thumbs,  for  you  must  sometimes  press 
both  thumbs  on  the  reel  as  hard  as  possible.  Then  sometimes 
when  you  get  the  fish  stopped,  you  cannot  induce  him  to 
come  nearer  and  he  may  even  attempt  another  rush.  In  such 
cases  the  fisherman  "pumps"  the  fish,  and  slowly  recovers 
his  line,  foot  by  foot.  For  this  a  leather  belt  with  a  rod 
cup  for  the  butt  of  the  rod,  is  worn.  The  butt  of  the  rod 
is  set  in  the  cup  and  with  both  hands  the  angler  raises 
the  rod  by  main  strength,  drawing  the  fish  several  feet  nearer, 
then  he  suddenly  lowers  the  tip  of  the  rod  and  reels  in  the 
several  feet  of  line  that  he  has  gained.  The  operation  is 
repeated  again  and  again  as  long  as  the  fish  will  stand  for 
it,  but  when  he  gets  tired  of  it  he  makes  another  run  and 
must  be  pumped  again.  Only  stout  tackle,  the  kind  used 
for  sea  fishing,  will  stand  such  use. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Fishing  For  Black  Bass. 

LACK  bass  belong  to  the  sunfish  family. 
There  are  two  species,  and  they  are  known 
respectively  as  the  small  mouthed  black  bass, 
and  the  large  mouthed  black  bass.  The 
former  is  the  smaller,  and  is  found  in  the  more 
northern  waters,  preferring  the  cool  water  of 
rapid  streams  and  rock  bottomed  lakes.  The  large  mouth 
is  found  in  the  southern  and  central  sections  of  the  United 
States,  principally,  and  prefers  quiet  water,  with  grassy 
shores  and"  muddy  bottom.  Throughout  the  central,  northern 
and  eastern  parts  of  the  country  both  kinds  are  found,  the 
small  mouth  being  most  abundant  in  the  rapid  streams  and 
the  large  mouths  being  found  most  plentifully  in  quiet 
streams  and  ponds.  One  kind  or  other  is  found  from  well 
up  into  eastern  Canada  to  the  Mexican  border,  and  from  the 
Rocky  Mountains  to  the  Atlantic  Coast. 

When  you  know  what  to  look  for  the  two  species  are 
easily  distinguished  one  from  the  other.  There  is  a  differ- 
ence in  the  general  build,  the  large  mouth  being  a  heavier 
and  chubbier  fish  for  his  length  than  the  small  mouth,  and 
less  graceful  in  appearance.  The  mouth  of  the  large  mouth 
variety  extends  a  little  beyond  the  vertical  line  of  the  eye, 
while  that  of  the  small  mouthed  species  does  not  extend  to 
the  eye  line.  The  eyes  differ  in  color  sometimes  and  those 
of  the  small  mouth  show  considerable  red  while  those  of 
the  other  species  do  not,  but  this,  like  the  general  color- 
ing is  not  infallible.  The  shape  of  the  head  differs  in  all 
cases,  as  the  small  mouthed  species  has  a  round  forehead 

135 


136  SCIENCE  OP  FISHING. 

and  the  head  of  the  large  mouth  is  hollowed  slightly.  Th'ere 
is  also  a  difference  in  the  scales  —  those  of  the  small  mouth 
are  smaller  than  the  scales  of  the  large  mouth  black  bass. 

The  color  of  both  varies  greatly  in  different  parts  and 
various  waters  and  in  some  the  smaller  species  is  darker, 
while  in  other  places  the  reverse  is  true.  The  color  of 
either  may  be  anything  from  a  pale  greenish  yellow,  almost 
white  in  fact,  to  a  very  deep  green  or  almost  black.  They 
are  always  darkest  on  the  back.  Either  species  may  show 
transverse  or  longitudinal  markings  on  the  sides.  The  long- 
itudinal markings  are  seen  most  frequently  on  the  large 
mouthed  species. 

In  weight  the  small  mouth  black  bass  runs  in  most  waters 
from  two  to  three  pounds,  though  much  larger  ones  are  some- 
times caught.  In  most  places  five  pounds  may  be  considered 
the  maximum  weight  of  this  fish,  but  in  certain  waters  they 
have  been  known  to  reach  a  weight  of  eleven  pounds,  and 
even  more.  In  many  places  one  may  fish  for  years  and 
never  get  a  fish  weighing  over  three  pounds.  The  large 
mouthed  black  bass  runs  somewhat  heavier  in  the  central 
and  northern  sections,  but  in  the  South  it  grows  to  a  much 
greater  weight,  and  in  certain  waters  of  Florida  they  weigh 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  pounds  and  specimens  of  twenty  pounds 
have  been  taken. 

Black  bass  spawn  in  spring,  earlier  in  the  South  than 
in  the  North.  The  spawning  season  may  commence  as  early 
as  March  in  Florida  and  as  late  as  the  middle  of  May  in 
Canada.  In  Ohio  most  of  them  spawn  in  May  and  this  is 
closed  season  for  catching  them.  A  black  bass  on  the 
spawning  bed  will  bite  at  anything  that  is  thrown  on  the 
bed,  but  no  true  sportsman  will  catch  a  fish  in  spawning 
time. 

The  food  of  the  black  bass  consists  of  all  kinds  of  small 
animal  life  to  be  found  in  the  waters  they  inhabit.  They 
eat  craw-fish,  small  fish,  helgramites,  worms,  bugs  and  insects 


FISHING  FOR  BLACK  BASS. 


137 


of  all  kinds  that  they  can  get,  small  frogs,  etc.  It  seems  that 
the  food  of  the  larger  ones  consist  mainly  of  small  fish  and 
frogs  —  a  tip  for  the  angler. 


Upper — Small    Mouthed    Black    Bass  ;    Lower — Large    Mouthed 
Black  Bass. 


There  is  no  other  game  fish  of  so  much  importance  as 
the  black  bass.  The  wide  distribution  of  this  fish  and  the 
fact  that  it  is  at  home  in  the  thickly  settled  part  of  the  United 


138  SCIENCE  OP  FISHING. 

States,  makes  it  possible  for  almost  everybody  to  be  a  bass 
fisherman  if  he  likes,  and  the  number  of  fishermen  who 
seek  this  fine  fish  is  greater  perhaps  than  the  number  of 
devotees  of  all  other  kinds  of  fresh  water  fishing  combined. 
In  the  northern  half  of  the  Mississippi  valley  almost  every 
angler  is  a  bass  fisherman.  The  fact  that  so  many  means 
may  be  employed  in  capturing  this  fish  is  also  very  much  in 
its  favor.  The  small  boy  and  the  grown  still-fisher  get  their 
share,  the  live  bait  fisherman  and  the  artificial  bait-caster 
find  this  fish  their  most  worthy  quarry  and  the  fly-caster  also 
finds  that  these  fish  take  the  fly  well  and  afford  a  sport  un- 
rivaled in  its  line. 

No  other  fish  of  its  size  can  or  will  put  up  such  a  fight 
for  its  liberty  when  hooked  as  the  black  bass  and  this  is  a 
claim  that  few  will  dispute.  And  after  capture  too  it  does 
not  take  a  back  seat  for  it  is  a  fine  food  fish. 

Fishing  with  natural  bait  is  perhaps  the  most  common 
way  of  taking  these  fish,  anyway  it  was  until  in  recent  years. 
Small  frogs  and  minnows  are  the  most  taking  baits  for  the 
big  fellows  and  a  fish  of  any  size  up  to  five  inches  may 
be  used  as  bait.  Any  black  bass  large  enough  to  be  taken 
will  try  to  eat  a  five  inch  minnow  without  any  hesitation 
whatever.  For  this  kind  of  fishing  a  bait  rod  of  eight  or 
eight  and  one-half  feet,  weighing  about  seven  or  eight  ounces 
according  to  quality,  a  quadruple  casting  reel  of  the  eighty 
yard  size,  a  raw  silk  line  of  small  size  sixty  or  eighty  yards, 
and  a  box  swivel,  with  a  No.  2  hook  on  a  short  double  gut 
snell  is  about  the  proper  tackle.  For  large  bass  of  the  South, 
or  for  frog  casting  use  hooks  of  about  1/0  size.  If  the  fishing 
is  about  grass  and  lily  pads,  you  can  use  a  weedless  hook. 
If  you  use  frogs  for  bait,  or  artificial  baits,  you  will  want  a 
much  shorter  and  stiffer  rod  than  for  minnows  and  other 
natural  baits,  but  the  frog-casters  are  in  the  minority. 

Ordinarily  one  will  do  his  best  fishing  in  morning  and 
evening,  but  natural  bait  can  be  used  throughout  the  entire 


FISHING  FOR  BLACK  BASS.  139 

day  especially  in  lake  fishing  and  on  streams  on  cloudy  days. 
The  nice  days  are  always  best,  ideal  weather  being  bright, 
mediumly  warm  days  with  a  light  breeze  and  water  fairly 
clear.  Each  angler,  as  a  rule,  has  set  ideas  about  weather 
conditions,  water  conditions,  time  of  year;  etc.,  but  all 
rules  are  subject  to  failure  in  fishing.  One  thing  is  always 
sure  though,  and  that  is  that  the  fish  are  in  more  shallow 
water  early  and  late  in  the  season  than  during  the  hot  mid- 
summer, when  they  retire  to  deep  water  if  such  is  to  be 
found.  Black  bass  in  lakes  and  deep  streams  are  less  sub- 
ject to  "rules"  than  those  of  shallow  streams. 

The  favorite  haunts  of  the  small  mouth  bass  are  such 
spots  as  above  and  below  the  riffles,  in  little  eddies  beside 
rocks,  under  overhanging  banks,  and  about  the  mouths  of 
the  small  streams,  near  driftwood,  etc.,  and  these  are  the 
places  to  cast  the  bait.  The  minnow  bait,  also  helgramites 
and  other  baits  of  this  kind,  are  allowed  to  sink  about 
halfway  to  the  bottom,  then  drawn  in  or  reeled  in  slowly. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  spend  much  time  on  any  such  place  as 
the  bass,  if  he  is  there  and  inclined  to  bite,  will  do  so  at 
once.  When  a  fish  takes  the  bait  give  him  time  to  turn  it 
head  about  for  swallowing,  which  he  always  does.  Some- 
times he  starts  off  with  it  some  distance  before  he  tries  to 
eat  the  fish  and  if  stopped  gives  a  few  little  tugs  at  the  bait. 
If  he  does  that,  let  him  run  a  little  farther  when  he  will  try 
to  eat  the  bait.  When  he  pulls  strongly  it  is  time  to  hook 
him.  With  other  smaller  baits  he  takes  the  entire  bait  in 
his  mouth  at  the  first  snap  and  you  should  hook  him  at 
once.  Crawfish  and  such  bait  are  used  mostly  for  still- 
fishing. 

The  same  methods  of  fishing  are  used  for  both  species. 
The  large  mouths  will  be  found  mostly  in  quieter  water, 
near  grass  and  lily  pads,  and  sometimes  lie  in  very  shallow 
water  among  the  grass  or  rushes. 

What   is    fast   becoming   the    most   popular   method   of 


140  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

fishing  for  black  bass  is  bait-casting,  using  the  artificial 
baits  before  described. 

Not  much  can  be  said  of  this  method,  other  than  what 
was  given  in  the  chapter  on  bait-casting.  The  outfit  is  the 
short  bait-casting  rod,  same  line  and  reel  as  for  fishing 
with  natural  bait,  and  any  artificial  bait.  The  bait  is  cast 
to  good  looking  places,  and  as  soon  as  the  bait  strikes  the 
water  the  rod  is  shifted  to  the  left  hand  and  the  line  reeled 
in,  not  too  fast.  A  surface  bait,  one  that  floats,  is  best  for 
the  beginner,  and  as  a  rule  for  others  also  in  still  water; 
for  streams  the  underwater  bait  works  best,  especially  during 
midsummer.  The  bait  should  not  be  reeled  steadily,  but 
should  be  moved  short  distances  at  a  time,  and  made  to 
dance  and  wiggle  on  the  water.  Each  angler  has  his  favorite 
baits.  Small  bass  will  attack  a  large  bait  as  quickly  as  a 
small  one,  and  so  will  the  large  ones.  They  are  never 
afraid  of  it  and  the  splash  of  a  large  bait  as  it  strikes  the 
water  will  not  alarm  them.  As  a  rule  the  largest  fish  are 
caught  by  artificial  bait-casting.  This  may  be  because  the 
artificial  bait  is  used  more  than  anything  else,  but  more  likely 
is  because  the  big  fellows  are  angered  by  the  tantalizing 
movements  of  the  artificial  baits.  As  proof  of  this,  a  darting 
spoon  bait,  making  all  kinds  of  eccentric  moves,  seems  to  be 
more  attractive  than  one  that  merely  revolves. 

Artificial  baits  may  be  used  at  night  for  bass  and  other 
fish,  and  are  usually  very  successful  as  black  bass  feed 
mostly  at  night.  The  Moonlight  Floating  Baits  are  made 
specially  for  night  fishing,  being  luminous,  and  are  good  for 
day  use  too. 

Fly  fishing  for  bass  is  popular  with  many  anglers.  It 
is  very  successful  in  some  waters  but  in  others  bass  do  not 
take  a  fly  well.  It  does  not  catch  as  many  of  the  big  fellows 
as  the  bait  methods,  but  a  two  pound  black  bass  on  fly 
tackle  makes  more  sport  for  the  angler  than  a  three  pounder 


FISHING  FOR  BLACK  BASS.  141 

on  a  bait-casting  outfit,  and  the  fly  fishermen  are  all  sports- 
men. There  is  no  nicer  and  more  enjoyable  way  of  fishing. 

Bass  will  only  take  a  fly  when  in  shallow  water,  and  it  is 
useless  to  fish  for  them  in  this  way  at  any  other  time.  As 
they  feed  mainly  at  night,  the  best  fly  fishing  is  in  early 
morning  and  late  evening,  and  at  such  times  they  will  be 
found  on  the  riffles  and  in  shallow  water.  Spring  and  early 
summer  and  early  autumn  are  the  best  seasons  for  fly 
fishing.  It  requires  considerable  study  for  best  results  and 
the  angler  should  learn  the  habits  of  the  fish  thoroughly, 
and  study  their  peculiarities,  and  should  also  know  the  waters 
well.  Usually  the  morning  and  evening  of  bright  days,  when 
there  is  a  light  breeze  and  the  water  is  clear  and  a  normal 
height,  will  yield  the  best  catches. 

The  fly  should  be  danced  gently  on  the  surface  of  the 
water  and  then  allowed  to  sink  and  float  a  few  inches  beneath 
the  surface  for  quite  a  distance  before  making  another  cast 
Lakes  should  be  fished  from  a  boat,  but  on  the  streams  the 
angler  should  wade,  and  it  is  generally  conceded  best  to  fish 
down  stream,  casting  out  first  this  way  and  then  that,  to 
all  of  the  good  looking  sp.ots. 

The  fly  rod  is  always  used  for  this  fishing,  and  it  should 
not  be  too  light  a  one,  especially  for  the  beginner,  neither 
should  the  amateur  buy  an  expensive  rod  to  learn  with.  The 
reel  may  be  either  a  single  action  click,  holding  eighty  yards 
of  line,  or  an  automatic  of  about  the  same  capacity.  A 
single  action  reel  of  100  yards  capacity  is  even  better  than 
a  smaller  one.  These  reels  will  hold  only  about  half  that 
much  size  E  enameled  silk  line,  which  is  the  kind  to  use. 
A  six  foot  double  gut  leader  or  heavy  single  one  is  best  for 
the  amateur  and  a  single  fly  should  be  used  on  it.  A  six 
foot  single  gut  leader  is  usually  preferred  by  the  experienced 
fly  fisherman,  and  for  daylight  use  it  is  better  than  a  short 
one.  Two  flies  may  be  used  on  a  six  foot  leader. 


142  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

The  angler  should  practice  to  drop  his  flies  lightly  on  the 
water  and  see  that  the  line  or  leader  does  not  strike  first. 
Keep  out  of  sight  of  the  fish  always,  and  do  not  splash  or 
make  more  noise  than  is  necessary.  When  a  fish  takes  the 
fly  you  must  hook  him  quickly  for  he  learns  instantly  that  it 
is  not  a  real  insect  and  drops  it  at  once.  Keep  the  line  taut 
so  that  you  can  hook  the  fish  at  the  first  move.  By  casting 
down  stream  you  will  have  little  trouble  of  this  kind. 

As  to  the  flies,  an  old  established  rule  is  to  use  light  and 
bright  colored  flies  on  dark  days  and  in  the  evening,  and 
dark  or  sombre  flies  for  bright  days.  But  there  are  times 
when  this  doesn't  hold  out  well.  It  is  a  common  practice 
to  use  two  flies  on  a  leader  and  if  the  fish  does  not  take  one 
sometimes  the  other  is  more  attractive.  Some  one  of  the  fol- 
lowing list  will  be  found  good  on  nearly  every  occasion  :  Pro- 
fessor, Montreal,  Coachman,  Royal  Coachman,  Grizzly  King, 
Parmachenee  Belle,  Black  Hackle,  Gray  Hackle,  Brown 
Hackle,  Abbey,  Ferguson,  Ibis,  Lord  Baltimore,  White  Miller, 
Seth  Green,  Oriole,  Queen  of  the  Water,  Babcock,  Governor 
Alvord,  and  Silver  Doctor.  As  before  stated  the  brightest 
flies  are  best  for  dull  days  and  the  more  sombre  ones  take 
best  on  bright  days.  They  are  tied  on  Nos.  2,  3,  4,  and  5 
hooks.  Nos.  4  and  5  will  be  best  on  most  occasions.  Either 
a  looped  or  a  long  snelled  fly  will  do  for  a  tail  fly,  but  the 
long  snelled  kind  is  best  for  a  dropper  fly  as  it  can  be 
attached  without  an  additional  snell,  or  length  of  gut. 

Some  may  hesitate  to  buy  a  fly  rod  and  outfit,  believing 
that  the  same  could  not  be  used  for  any  other  kind  of  fishing, 
but  this  is  a  mistake,  for  you  can  use  any  small,  light  spin- 
ning bait  or  small  casting  spoon,  though  it  is  none  too  good 
for  the  rod  to  use  these  much.  You  can  also  use  salt  pork 
bait  as  mentioned  elsewhere  and  this  is  a  very  effective  bass 
bait.  It  may  be  skittered  over  the  surface  or  used  under 
water. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Fishing  For  Trout  and  Salmon. 

F  all  the  North  American  game  fishes  the 
trouts  are  the  most  widely  scattered  and 
the  most  sought  by  those  who  go  away 
from  home  to  fish.  In  many  ways  these 
fish  are  far  in  the  lead  of  all  others, 
being  the  most  active  of  all  fish,  good  fighters, 
rising  well  to  an  artificial  fly,  a  fine  food  fish, 
and  the  most  beautiful  fish  that  swim.  I  am 
speaking  of  the  trouts  collectively,  for  be  it 
known,  there  are  somewhere  between  thirty  and  forty  species, 
including  the  introduced  trouts  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada.  They,  that  is  one  species  or  other,  are  found  all 
over  the  western  mountain  country,  practically  all  of  Canada, 
and  all  of  the  eastern  and  southern  states  where  cool,  rapid 
streams  are  found.  These  trouts  are  divided  into  two  groups, 
i.  e.,  the  charrs  and  the  salmon  trouts.  The  latter  are  found 
naturally  only  in  the  West  and  the  former,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Dolly  Varden,  only  in  the  East  and  North. 
But  it  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  work  to  go  into  a  description 
and  classification  of  each  and  every  species  —  I  will  leave 
that  to  naturalists  —  what  we  are  most  interested  in  is  the 
habits  of  th^  fish  and  the  way  to  catch  them. 

Trout  are  found  only  in  cool,  fresh,  swift-flowing  streams, 
especially  our  native  fishes  of  this  order,  but  some  of  the  im- 
ported ones  will  live  in  warmer  water,  providing  it  is  rapid. 
Most  important  of  all  the  trouts  is  our  eastern  brook 
trout,  a  charr,  because  it  is  nearer  home  to  the  largest  num- 
ber of  anglers  and  because  of  its  wide  distribution  through- 

143 


144  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

out  the  East  and  North,  its  game  qualities,  and  the  readiness 
with  which  it  rises  to  the  fly.  It  is  the  one  that  is  best 
known  and  the  fish  that  is  usually  meant  when  anglers  speak 
of  trout  fishing.  It  is  at  home  in  all  the  moutainous  parts 
of  the*  eastern  and  southern  states  where  it  is  found  in  the 
mountain  streams,  and  in  the  streams  and  cool,  clear  lakes  of 
all  of  eastern  and  central  Canada  and  the  New  England 
States.  Many  of  the  northern  ponds  and  lakes  fairly  swarm 
with  these  fish,  and  they  are  abundant  in  the  streams  of  the 
Adirondacks,  and  the  mountains  of  Pennsylvania  and  West 
Virginia. 

The  brook  trout  is  a  trim  built  fish  without  scales,  in 
beautiful  coloring,  the  back  being  dark  brown  with  what 
are  commonly  known  as  worm  track  markings.  The  sides  are 
a  lighter  color,  often  showing  purple  and  rose  red  in  parts, 
and  rows  of  small  bright  red  and  yellow  spots  run  long- 
itudinally along  the  sides.  The  under  parts  are  white,  tinted 
with  pink,  appearing  iridescent,  like  polished  mother-of-pearl. 
All  of  the  lines  are  exceedingly  graceful.  The  body  is  very 
solid,  having  a  very  small  cavity,  and  the  flesh  of  adult 
specimens  is  a  deep  golden  color. 

The  brook  trout  is  voracious,  and  feeds  on  the  surface,  in 
mid-water,  and  at  the  bottom,  but  looks  mostly  in  mid-water 
and  on  the  surface  for  food,  and  very  little  escapes  their 
watchful  eyes. 

Anything  in  the  line  of  insects,  worms,  frogs  and  small 
fish  is  acceptable  to  the  trout,  and  I  have  heard  of  them 
being  caught  by  baiting  the  hook  with  a  mouse.  They  take 
all  insect  life  eagerly.  Let  a  fly  but  touch  the  water  in 
his  flight  across  a  trout  pool  and  his  doom  is  sealed,  for 
like  a  flash  of  light  Mr.  Trout  rises  from  the  depths  and 
his  capacious  jaws  engulf  the  hapless  insect.  To  some  it 
may  seem  a  mystery  how  the  fish  can  get  so  quickly  to  the 
spot  where  the  fly  has  alighted,  and  it  is  was  so  to  me  until 
one  day  as  I  stood  on  the  shore  of  a  lake  looking  out  into 


FISHING  FOR  TROUT  AND  SALMON.  145 

the  clear,  shallow  water,  I  saw  a  large  trout  making  lightning- 
like  darts  here  and  there,  in  a  zig-zag  way,  and  then  I  noticed 
that  he  was  following  the  movements  of  some  insect  that  was 
flying  above  the  water;  then  the  unlucky  fly  touched  the 
surface  of  the  water;  there  was  a  splash,  and  Mr.  Fly  was 
no  more.  And  as  a  rule  a  squirming  angleworm  will  meet 
the  same  quick  end  and  if  the  trout  happens  to  get  his  eye 
on  him,  and  if  a  frog  happens  to  stray  too  far  from  shore, 
or  a  grasshopper  make  a  misjump  and  fall  into  the  stream, 
they  meet  the  same  fate.  To  the  trout  "all  is  fish  that  enters 
the  net"  and  I  am  sure  that  in  most  cases  the  fish  does  not 
hesitate  to  see  what  it  is  before  he  grasps  it,  but  takes  chances 
on  it  being  good  to  eat. 

The  brook  trout  spawns  in  the  fall.  Full  grown  speci- 
mens will  weigh  from  a  half  pound  to  five  or  six  pounds, 
depending  on  the  kind  of  water  they  inhabit,  and  the  food 
supply.  In  Maine  and  Canada  brook  trout  weighing  over 
ten  pounds  have  been  taken,  and  in  some  waters  four  and 
five  pounders  are  quite  common.  Being  slender  in  build 
they  run  much  longer,  weight  for  weight,  than  the  black 
bass.  A  trout  of  fifteen  inches  will  weigh  a  pound  and  a 
half,  and  one  of  twenty  inches  will  weigh  about  three  and  a 
half  pounds.  A  trout  two  feet  long  will  weigh  about  six 
pounds.  Of  course  these  weights  are  only  approximate,  as  in 
some  waters  they  are  more  slender  than  in  others,  just  as 
their  color  varies  in  different  waters. 

Trout  may  be  taken  with  artificial  flies,  worms,  minnows, 
grasshoppers,  crickets,  grubs,  small  frogs  and  small  casting 
spoons  or  even  a  trolling  spoon.  But  the  readiness  with 
which  they  will  rise  to  a  fly  and  the  pleasure  of  fishing  for 
these  gamey  fish  with  light  tackle  makes  fly-fishing  the 
favorite  way  of  taking  them. 

The  proper  outfit  will  depend  somewhat  on  the  waters 
to  be  fished  and  the  size  of  the  fish  found  there.  On  small 

10 


1— Steelhead  Trout ;  2— Eastern  Brook  Trout ;  3— Lake  Trout 


146 


FISHING  FOR  TROUT  AND  SALMON.  147 

tsreams  where  the  fish  are  small  and  long  casts  are  the  ex- 
ception the  lightest  and  shortest  fly  rods  may  be  used.  For 
lake  fishing  the  longer  rods  are  best,  but  they  should  be 
reasonably  light.  For  large  streams  where  long  casts  must 
be  made  and  where  the  fish  are  large  a  good  weight  fly 
rod  of  medium  length  is  best.  The  light  rod  demands  a 
light  line,  say  size  F  or  G  enameled  silk,  and  size  E  is 
used  for  all  ordinary  rods,  for  the  heavier  line  casts  better. 
The  leader  should  be  of  six  foot  length,  single  gut.  Heavier 
leaders  may  be  used  in  swift  water  than  in  lakes  or  ponds. 
In  some  parts  of  the  East,  for  instance  in  Pennsylvania, 
trout  are  found  only  in  small  mountain  streams.  Here  the 
brush  overhang,  and  fly  casting  is  impossible  and  almost 
unknown.  Likewise,  playing  the  fish  is  not  practicable,  and 
as  the  fish  are  very  small,  seldom  more  than  a  foot  long, 
they  are  usually  lifted  bodily  from  the  water.  For  this  rather 
stiff  fly  rods  and  very  fine  lines  of  oiled  silk  or  enameled  silk 
are  used.  The  line  need  not  be  long,  and  the  reel  is  used 
only  for  lengthening  and  shortening  the  line,  as  required. 

White  leaders  are  commonly  used,  but  many  prefer  what 
is  known  as  "mist"  color,  a  pale  bluish-gray  tint.  In  case 
you  desire  to  color  a  white  leader,  you  can  give  it  a  bluish 
color  by  soaking  it  in  water  to  which  a  little  common  writing 
ink  has  been  added,  or  it  may  be  given  a  yellowish  color  by 
soaking  in  strong  coffee. 

Now  when  it  comes  to  selecting  flies,  I  cannot  give  much 
advice,  for  there  are  so  many  different  patterns  and  the 
requirements  are  so  different  in  the  various  waters.  Time 
of  year  and  weather  conditions  must  also  be  considered.  I 
would  advise  the  prospective  fisherman  to  consult  some  friend 
who  is  acquainted  with  the  waters  in  which  he  is  expecting 
to  fish,  and  no  doubt  he  will  find  some  person  who  can  tell 
what  flics  to  select  for  those  streams.  They  run  in  all 
colors  and  combinations  of  colors  imaginable  and  each  is 
known  by  a  formiable  name.  A  good  general  rule,  univer- 


148  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

sally  practiced,  is  to  use  light,  bright  colored  flies  on  dark 
days.  It  is  mostly  a  matter  of  experiment  anyway  and  if 
the  fish  do  not  rise  to  one  kind  of  fly,  some  other  kind  should 
be  tried.  For  use  in  northern  waters  some  one  of  the  follow- 
ing list  will  nearly  always  be  found  good,  in  fact  the  majority 
of  anglers  have  only  a  dozen  or  two  patterns  to  select  from, 
and  the  most  generally  used  flies  will  be  found  in  this  list: 

Jungle-cock,  Montreal,  Parmachenee  Belle,  Silver  Doctor, 
Brown  Hackle,  Black  Hackle,  Grizzly  King,  Coachman,  Grey 
Hackle,  March  Brown,  Professor,  Royal  Coachman,  Jenny 
Lind,  Alder,  Red  Ibis,  Grey  Palmer,  Brown  Palmer,  Black 
Gnat,  Red  Hackle,  Beaverkill,  Grey  Drake,  and  a  Brown 
Hackle  with  red  body. 

In  the  northern  lakes  the  Parmachenee  Belle  is  usually  a 
killer  for  use  in  the  evening,  late,  and  as  the  fish  are  actively 
engaged  in  feeding  at  this  time,  some  of  the  largest  catches 
are  made  with  it.  Early  in  the  spring  a  common  Black 
Hackle  is  often  very  effective  for  day  fishing. 

The  smaller  flies  should  be  chosen  in  preference  to  the 
large  ones.  By  the  size,  I  mean  the  size  of  hook  that  the 
fly,  is  tied  on.  Number  8  hooks  are  used  more,  perhaps,  than 
any  other,  but  the  Nos.  10,  12  and  14  are  also  used  by  many ; 
the  smaller  sizes  for  clear,  quiet  water. 

The  reel  for  trout  fishing  should  be  of  a  size  that  is 
claimed  to  hold  sixty  or  eighty  yards  of  line,  for  such  a  reel 
will  hold  only  about  half  that  much  size  E  enameled  line. 
The  spool  should  be  kept  well  filled,  as  it  winds  faster  and 
keeps  the  line  in  nicer  shape  for  casting.  A  single  action 
click  reel  is  the  kind  most  often  used  but  an  automatic  may 
be  chosen,  and  it  will  answer  admirably.  A  wading  landing 
net  should  always  be  used. 

When  fishing,  the  fly  should  be  kept  in  motion,  always 

dancing  lightly  on  the  surface  of  the  water.    Watch  an  expert 

fisherman  closely  and  you  will  see  that  his  hand  is  apparently 

rembling  all   of   the   time   while   the   fly   is   on   the  water, 


A  Thirteen  Pound  Rainbow  Trout  Taken  on  a  Spinner  in  Lake 
Okanagon,  British  Columbia. 


149 


150  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

and  that  the  motion  is  extended  to  the  rod,  line  and  fly. 
It  is  not  nervousness,  but  a  practiced  art.  Fish  the  portions 
nearest  you  first,  gradually  lengthening  you  cast  and  fishing 
the  waters  farther  away.  It  is  neither  necessary  nor  advisable 
to  fish  long  at  any  one  place. 

When  a  trout  takes  the  fly,  strike  quickly.  Usually,  only 
a  slight  motion  is  needed,  especially  in  stream  fishing,  but 
on  lakes  where  the  fish  are  large,  a  good  strike  is  required. 

Regarding  the  kind  of  fly  to  use,  study  the  conditions 
and  try  the  flies  that  your  judgment  tells  you  are  right; 
if  these  fail,  try  others.  Larger  flies  may  be  used  in  the 
spring  than  in  summer.  It  is  best,  if  possible,  to  talk  this 
matter  over  with  some  person  who  has  done  considerable 
fishing  in  the  waters  you  intend  to  visit.  On  dark  days, 
and  late  in  the  evening,  the  brighter  and  lighter  colors  seem 
to  take  best. 

In  spring  trout'  may  be  found  near  the  surface  and  on 
the  rapid  streams.  Later  cm  they  retire  to  the  deeper  water. 
In  the  Northern  lakes  they  may  be  caught  in  about  five  or  six 
feet  of  water  in  spring  and  early  summer.  When  the  water 
grows  warm  in  summer,  they  can  only  be  caught  where 
the  streams  empty  into  the  lakes  and  where  springs  are 
found  along  the  shore.  In  summer  they  do  their  feeding 
mostly  in  the  evening,  in  the  shallow  water,  and  about  the 
mouths  of  streams.  It  is  useless  to  fish  in  the  northern 
lakes  in  midday,  in  the  middle  of  the  summer,  unless  you 
know  the  location  of  springs,  and  you  can  catch  no  trout 
when  thunderstorms  are  brewing. 

Much  has  been  written  regarding  the  sense  of  hearing 
of  fish,  but  the  belief  is  quite  common  among  those  fisher- 
men who  have  given  the  subject  a  little  thought,  that  fish 
do  not  hear.  However,  it  is  possible  that  they  can  hear  a 
shout,  or  loud  talking,  when  they  are  in  quiet  water,  and  it  is 
advised  that  the  angler  make  no  more  noise  than  necessary. 
A  heavy  tread  or  a  thump  on  the  bank  is  readily  felt  by  the 


FISHING  FOR  TROUT  AND  SALMON.  151 

fish  in  the  water,  because  of  the  vibration.  The  slightest 
disturbance  of  the  water  is  also  observed.  This  applies 
mainly  to  still  water,  for  where  the  water  is  rapid,  and 
tumbles  over  rocks,  a  little  splashing  in  the  water  is  not  dis- 
tinguished. It  follows,  therefore,  that  the  angler  should  use 
care  in  approaching  the  water,  and  especially  when  nearing 
a  quiet  pool.  Some  anglers  wade  the  stream,  but  whenever 
possible,  the  fishermen  should  walk  the  bank,  especially  if 
the  pools  are  quiet.  When  wading,  one  should  always  avoid 
splashing.  Keep  out  of  sight  of  the  fish,  always,  and  avoid 
letting  the  shadow  of  your  rod  fall  over  the  water. 

Except  during  the  mid-season  when  the  water  is  low 
and  clear,  angleworms  make  a  very  attractive  bait  for 
brook  trout.  They  should  be  placed  on  the  hook  in  a  life- 
like manner  so  that  they  can  cover  the  hook  completely, 
or  at  least  the  point  must  be  hidden.  The  same  tackle  is 
used  as  in  fly  fishing  except  that  the  fly  is  replaced  with  a 
snelled  hook,  No.  6  or  8.  My  preference  is  the  Kendall- 
Sneck.  Downstream  fishing  is  the  rule  and  the  bait  is 
carried  by  the  current  a  long  ways  ahead  of  the  angler.  -If 
you  can  see  the  fish  the  chances  are  very  much  in  favor 
of  the  fish  seeing  you  also,  and  when  you  see  a  fish  turn 
.slightly  on  its  side  it  is  watching  you  —  no  use  to  fish  for 
him ;  come  back  later  and  keep  out  of  sight. 

Fishing  with  grasshoppers  is  a  successful  method  in  sum- 
mer, when  the  water  is  very  clear.  They  should  be  cast 
out  lightly  the  same  as  a  fly. 

In  waters  that  are  not  fished  much  it  is  the  easiest  thing 
in  the  world  to  catch  trout,  except  in  midsummer,  by  baiting 
the  hook  with  a  small  piece  of  fat  salt  pork.  The  bait  is 
used  the  same  as  a  worm.  One  can  also  cut  the  pork  as  for 
bass  fishing  and  it  will  be  even  more  successful.  But  the 
point  of  the  hook  must  be  covered,  always,  unless  the  bait 
is  kept  in  rapid  motion. 


152  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

A  small  casting  spoon  is  successful  for  large  trout  It 
should  be  kept  several  feet  beneath  the  surface  and  should  be 
drawn  slowly  in  spurts  of  about  three  or  four  feet  at  a  time. 

The  methods  of  fishing  for  broojc  trout  given  here  apply 
also  to  all  other  kinds  of  trout.  Rainbow  trout  are  fre- 
quently taken  by  trolling  and  lake  trout  are  nearly  always 
taken  that  way,  as  they  are  invariably  found  in  deep  water. 

One  of  the  most  important  of  the  native  salmon  trouts 
is  the  steelhead.  It  is  found  in  the  northwestern  coast 
streams  living  part  of  the  time  in  salt  water,  and  spawns 
some  in  spring  and  others  in  the  fall,  at  the  heads  of  the 
streams.  On  very  rare  occasions  these  fish,  it  is  said,  reach 
a'weight  of  twenty  pounds.  In  shallow  water  the  steelhead 
trout  will  rise  to  a  fly,  but  the  most  of  those  caught  with 
hook  and  line  are  taken  by  trolling  with  a  spoon  bait  in 
deep  water.  Natural  baits  are  also  used,  the  favorite  being 
salmon  roe. 

The  German  or  brown  trout  has  been  introduced  into 
this  country  from  Europe.  These  fish  sometimes  reach  a 
weight  of  fifteen  pounds,  but  usually  run  from  two  to  three 
when  full  grown.  The  same  methods  of  fishing  as  recom- 
mended for  brook  trout  should  be  employed,  except  that  the 
tackle  should  be  a  little  heavier.  They  do  not  rise  to  a 
fly  as  well  as  the  brook  trout. 

The  rainbow  trout,  of  which  like  the  others  described 
there  are  a  number  of  species,  are  native  to  the  streams  of 
the  Northwest.  They  have  also  been  introduced  into  eastern 
waters,  and  are  now  found  in  many  streams  of  Wisconsin, 
Michigan,  New  York,  and  southward.  In  some  streams  they 
grow  to  a  much  larger  size  than  in  others,  but  all  through 
they  grow  larger  than  the  eastern  brook  trout.  They  are 
gamey  fighters  and  are  fished  for  in  the  same  ways  as  the 
brook  trout.  In  the  West  they  are  taken  quite  often  by 
trolling. 


FISHING  FOR  TROUT  AND  SALMON.  153 

Of  the  eastern  salmon  we  have  the  landlocked  species  or 
ouananiche  and  the  true  Atlantic  salmon.  The  ouananiche 
(pronounced  wannaneesh)  is  identical  with  the  true  Atlantic 
salmon,  except  that  it  does  not  go  to  salt  water  and  as  a 
consequence  does  not  grow  so  large.  It  usually  attains  a 
weight  of  two  or  three  pounds.  It  is  a  great  fighter  and  a 
fine  game  fish.  Brook  trout  fly  tackle  is  used  for  landlocked 
salmon.  Dry  fly  fishing  is  said  to  be  very  successful  for 
this  fish. 

The  true  salmon  is  a  fish  of  peculiar  habits.  It  breeds  in 
the  fresh  water  streams  and  after  reaching  a  certain  age  it 
goes  down  to  the  ocean  where  it  grows  to  a  large  size  and 
takes  on  a  different  appearance,  when  it  comes  back  to  the 
streams  to  spawn,  an  Atlantic  salmon.  In  the  different  stages 
of  its  growth  it  is  known  first  as  a  parr,  then  as  a  smolt,  later 
as  a  grilse  and  eventually  it  becomes  a  salmon.  This  is 
interesting  and  we  would  like  to  have  more  of  it  but  it  is 
the  catching  of  the  fish  that  interests  the  anglers  most,  and 
a  lengthy  discourse  on  the  habits  of  the  fish  cannot  be  in- 
dulged in  here.  The  Atlantic  salmon  is  a  beautiful  fish, 
and  a  game  fighter.  Specimens  weighing  as  much  as  eighty 
pounds  have  been  taken  but  the  usual  catch  runs  from  ten 
to  thirty  pounds.  One  thing  I  wish  to  mention  before  going 
farther ;  salmon  are  "killed"  not  caught  and  you  seldom  hear 
anglers  talk  about  catching  them,  they  invariably  say  "kill", 
These  fish  spawn  in  the  sea-going  rivers  of  Maine,  New 
Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia,  Quebec,  Labrador,  Newfoundland, 
and  the  Unorganized  Territory  east  of  Hudson  Bay,  com- 
monly known  as  Ungava.  They  seldom  if  ever  enter  rivers 
south  of  Maine  and  the  only  really  good  fishing  is  in  Canada 
and  Newfoundland. 

There  is  only  one  way  to  "kill"  these  fish  and  that  is 
by  means  of  the  artificial  fly.  The  outfit  most  often  used  is 
a  salmon  fly  rod  of  greenheart  or  split  bamboo  from  fifteen 
to  seventeen  feet  long,  about  fifteen  and  a  half  or  sixteen 


154 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


feet  being  the  size  most  favored;  a  large  single  action  click 
reel;  a  double  tapered  enameled  silk  line,  size  C  or  D,  120 
yards  long;  a  nine  foot  single  gut  leader  of  best  quality 
heavy  silkworm  gut;  and  a  single  fly  size  2  if  on  a  single 
hook  and  size  6  if  tied  on  double  hooks.  Regarding  the 
patterns  of  flies,  what  is  considered  a  good  assortment  is  the 


Upper — Atlantic    Salmon;   Lower — Quinnat    Salmon    (Pacific) 

following:  Butcher,  Durham  Ranger,  Dusty  Miller,  Popham, 
Jock  Scott,  Silver  Doctor  and  Childers.  Nearly  all  salmon 
anglers  will  agree  that  this  assortment  is  all  that  will  be 
needed.  In  clear  water  use  the  smallest  size  of  fly,  and  if  the 
fish  do  not  rise  to  a  large  fly  they  may  sometimes  be  taken 
on  a  smaller  one  on  the  same  pattern. 


FISHING  FOR  TROUT  AND  SALMON.  155 

The  best  results  are  had  by  fishing  on  rainy,  blustery  days, 
and  on  clear  days  it  is  not  much  use  fishing  except  in  evening 
and  morning.  Give  them  plenty  of  time  and  cover  the  water 
thoroughly.  Work  the  fly  continually  until  you  are  ready 
to  retrieve  the  cast ;  then  pause  an  instant,  for  sometimes  a 
fish  follows  the  fly  some  distance  waiting  for  it  to  stop.  In 
case  of  a  rise  don't  strike  too  quickly  as  the  salmon  takes 
the  fly  when  going  down  and  not  on  the  rise  like  the  brook 
trout.  If  you  miss  a  fish  continue  fishing  on  down  the  pool 
and  in  about  fifteen  minutes  come  back  and  commence  casting 
again  at  the  head  of  the  pool,  working  down  as  before. 
It  will  be  necessary  to  have  a  guide  or  other  person  to  gaff 
the  catch. 

The  Pacific  salmon  is  a  different  fish  and  is  commonly 
looked  on  as  a  commercial  food  fish.  There  are  a  number 
of  species  but  the  Quinnat  salmon  is  the  most  important  and 
resembles  the  Atlantic  salmon  very  much,  though  it  is  quite 
a  bit  larger,  sometimes  reaching  a  weight  of  100  pounds, 
though  the  average  weight  is  about  twenty.  With  hook  and 
line  these  fish  are  caught  mainly  in  the  sea,  as  the  rivers 
are  swift  and  as  a  rule  the  water  discolored.  They  do  not 
rise  well  to  a  fly,  .though  they  can  be  taken  in  that  way. 
The  most  of  those  caught  with  hook  and  line  are  taken  by 
trolling.  They  are  also  caught  by  baiting  with  salmon  roe. 
Good  salmon  fishing  may  be  had  all  along  the  northwest  coast, 
and  especially  on  Vancouver  Island  and  the  salt  water  to 
the  north. 

Another  fish  which  the  old  time  naturalists  classed  with 
the  salmon,  but  which  are  now  considered  as  a  separate 
family  are  the  graylings.  In  this  country  there  are  three 
species,  the  Arctic  grayling,  the  Montana  grayling  and  the 
Michigan  grayling.  The  latter  is  now  extinct,  or  nearly  so. 
The  Arctic  grayling  is  generally  considered  the  parent  fish, 
in  this  country,  and  it  is  thought  that  those  of  Montana 
and  Michigan  were  carried  south  from  far  northern  Canada 


156 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING 


by  the  ice  during  the  glacial  period.  There  is  not  any  strik- 
ing difference  in  the  three  species  and  the  two  southern 
varieties  might  have  changed  greatly  since  that  time.  Per- 
sonally, I  have  never  seen  a  grayling,  but  they  are  said  to 
be  beautiful  fish.  They  are  of  graceful  shape  and  have 
enormous  brightly  colored  front  dorsal  fins.  The  back  is 
gray  or  bluish,  and  lighter  beneath,  and  when  taken  from 
the  water  is  said  to  be  iridescent  like  mother-of-pearl,  show- 
ing all  tints  and  colors.  It  never  exceeds  two  pounds  in 
weight.  It  is  caught  mostly  in  autumn  on  brook  trout  tackle, 
with  the  artificial  fly. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Pike,  Pickerel,  Muskellunge,  and  Pike-Perch. 

XCEPT  for  the  last  named  fish  in  the  title 
of  this  chapter,  all  of  those  named  belong 
to  one  family,  and  resemble  one  another 
>o  much  that  frequently  one  is  mistaken  for 
another.  The  last  named,  the  pike-perch  or 
wall-eyed  pike,  does  not  belong  to  the  pike 
family,  but  is  included  in  this  chapter  because  of  its  name 
and  its  general  resemblance  to  a  pike. 

The  pike,  known  in  Canada  sometimes  by  the  name  of 
jackfish,  is  found  throughout  the  Great  Lake  region,  prac- 
tically all  of  Canada,  and  a  part  of  Alaska,  also  in  less 
numbers  in  the  eastern  states  and  upper  Mississippi  valley, 
but  never  south  of  the  Ohio  river.  Its  natural  home  is 
Canada;  in  parts  of  the  dominion  it  is  very  abundant  and 
grows  to  a  large  size.  The  "pike"  of  other  parts  of  North 
America  are  pickerel. 

The  usual  weight  of  full  grown  pike  is  about  ten  pounds, 
but  it  may  be  more  or  less  in  certain  waters  and  in  various 
parts  of  the  range.  Specimens  of  thirty  pounds  are  some- 
times taken.  The  color  is  dark  gray  or  greenish  gray  on  the 
back,  lighter  on  the  sides,  and  silvery  white  on  the  under 
parts.  The  sides  show  many  irregular  oblong  spots  lighter 
than  the  ground  color.  The  dorsal  and  anal  fins  and  tail 
show  dark  or  black  blotches.  As  on  all  the  pikes,  the  dor- 
sal and  anal  fins  are  on  a  vertical  line.  The  body  is  long 
and  the  head  is  about  one-fourth  of  the  length  of  the  fish 
over  all.  The  jaws  are  long  and  armed  with  sharp  teeth, 

157 


158  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

for  the  pike  is  very  voracious  and  preys  on  all  smaller 
fish. 

The  fish  are  found  mostly  in  shallow,  grassy  lakes  and 
ponds.  The  places  to  look  for  them  are  over  shoals  and 
bars  near  the  lily  pads  or  wild  rice  beds.  When  caught  on 
light  tackle  they  put  up  a  game  fight,  and  are  almost  the 
equal  of  the  muskellunge  of  the  same  weight. 

Pike  may  be  caught  with  natural  or  artificial  bait,  or 
by  trolling.  Perhaps  more  of  them  are  taken  by  trolling  with 
a  spoon  bait  than  in  any  other  way.  The  directions  given  for 
catching  muskellunge  will  answer  very  well  for  pike,  as 
these  two  fish  inhabit  the  same  waters,  their  habits  are 
much  the  same,  and  the  same  methods  of  fishing  may  be 
employed  for  both,  in  fact  you  are  as  likely  to  catch  one  as 
the  other.  The  tackle  for  pike  may  be  lighter  throughout 
than  for  muskellunge.  For  bait  fishing  a  regular  bait  rod, 
good  sized  multiplying  reel,  and  good  weight  raw  silk  line 
should  be  used.  The  Archer  Spinner  with  large  minnow 
bait  is  an  excellent  lure.  A  plain  hook,  an  O'Shaughnessy 
or  Pennel,  No.  3/  on  a  pointed  piano  wire  is  good  for  natural 
bait.  If  a  trolling  spoon  is  used,  one  having  a  blade  about 
2  1/4  inches  long  is  about  the  right  size.  In  all  cases  there 
must  be  a  short  section  of  wire  above  the  hook  to  keep  the 
fish  from  biting  the  line. 

The  pike  is  not  worth  very  much  as  a  food  fish,  but  is 
superior  to  such  fish  as  carp  and  suckers.  They  are  better 
in  spring,  fall  and  winter  than  in  summer  when  the  water 
is  warm.  In  places  where  other  fish  are  plentiful  they  are 
seldom  used  for  food.  The  fish  may  be  taken  in  early  spring 
by  fishing  through  the  ice  with  pickerel  traps,  as  described 
elsewhere. 

Of  the  pickerel  there  are  three  species,  namely,  the 
Eastern  pickerel,  Western  pickerel,  and  banded  picker"!. 
These  are  the  "pike"  of  some  parts  of  the  country.  The 
Eastern  pickerel  is  also  called  chain-pickerel  and  jack  It 


PIKE,    PICKEREL,    MUSKELLUNGE,    PIKE-PERCH.     159 

is  found  in  all  of  the  eastern  states,  east  of  the  Alleghanies. 
It  resembles  the  pike  in  general  appearance,  but  is  smaller, 
seldom  if  ever  growing  to  a  greater  length  than  two  feet, 
and  a  weight  exceeding  eight  pounds,  and  the  average  is 
probably  three  pounds.  It  is  more  slender  than  the  pike,  and 
the  markings  on  the  sides  form  a  network,  hence  the  name 
chain-pickerel.  The  ground  color  is  brown  or  green,  lighter 
in  under  and,  as  on  all  of  the  pickerels  there  is  a  dark  spot 
below  the  eye.  Like  the  pike  it  is  voracious  and  feeds  on 
fish,  frogs,  etc.  The  same  methods  of  fishing  and  the  same 
tackle  may  be  employed  as  for  pike. 

The  Western  pickerel  is  a  small  fish  never  more  than  a 
foot  long  and  usually  less.  It  is  found  throughout  the  Mid- 
dle West  in  quiet  grassy  waters.  In  all  but  size  it  resembles 
the  Eastern  pickerel.  It  may  be  caught  with  any  light  tackle, 
such  as  is  used  for  black  bass. 

The  banded  pickerel  is  a  small  fish  resembling  the  one 
described  last,  but  is  found  in  eastern  waters.  It  is  at  home 
in  all  of  the  sea-going  streams  east  of  the  Alleghanies, 
from  the  New  England  states  southward. 

The  muskellunge,  a  fish  known  by  perhaps  a  score  of 
other  names,  all  quite  similar,  is  the  largest  and  most  im- 
portant fish  of  the  pike  family.  He  is  known  to  fishermen 
in  general  as  the  musky.  The  muskellunge  is  a  voracious, 
vicious  fish,  feeding  on  all  fish  smaller  than  himself,  even 
his  own  kind. 

The  appearance  of  this  fish  does  not  belie  his  reputed 
nature;  he  is  as  vicious  looking  as  he  is  vicious.  The  head 
is  about  a  fourth  of  the  length  of  the  body,  the  jaws  long  and 
the  lower  jaw  longer  and  projecting  beyond  the  upper.  They 
are  both  armed  with  long,  double-edged,  dagger-like  teeth 
and  when  you  catch  one  be  sure  that  you  don't  get  your 
hand  in  his  mouth;  he  wouldn't  lose  an  opportunity  to  close 
down  on  it 


1 — Pike;   2 — Eastern  Pickerel;   3 — Muskellunge; 
or  Wall-Eyed  Pike. 
160 


-Pike- Perch 


PIKE,    PICKEREL,    MUSKELLUNGE,    PIKE-PERCH.     161 

Regarding  the  size  of  this  fish  it  is  said  that  some  have 
been  captured  that  weighed  as  much  as  100  pounds,  but  those 
over  forty  pounds  are  very  rare  and  the  usual  catch  weighs 
from  fifteen  to  thirty  pounds.  Nevertheless,  the  musky 
angler  is  always  on  the  lookout  for  the  fifty  pound  fish. 

This  fish  is  found  throughout  the  Great  Lake  region, 
upper  Wisconsin  and  the  adjoining  parts  of  Canada  and  the 
St.  Lawrence.  It  is  said  that  they  range  southward  into 
Tennessee,  but  if  so  they  are  known  locally  as  the  pike.  It  is 
in  the  lakes  of  northern  Wisconsin  that  they  appear  to  be 
most  numerous. 

As  before  said,  there  is  apt  to  be  confusion  regarding 
the  identity  of  pike,  pickerel  and  muskellunge.  But  when  the 
fish  are  placed  side  by  side  it  will  be  noted  that  a  differ- 
ence exists.  There  is  a  difference  in  the  shape  of  the  body, 
the  musky  being  deeper  in  the  belly,  and  there  is  a  difference 
in  the  spots,  the  muskellunge  having  small  black  spots  on 
a  lighter  ground  while  the  pike  has  larger  light  spots  on  the 
dark  ground,  but  there  is  such  a  difference  in  the  markings 
and  they  are  sometimes  so  indistinct  that  it  is  best  to  look 
for  a  more  definite  distinction.  By  comparing  a  pickerel, 
pike,  and  muskellunge  it  will  be  found  that  the  pickerel  has 
both  cheeks  and  gill  covers  completely  scaled;  the  pike  has 
scales  on  the  cheek  and  the  upper  half  only  of  the  gill  covers ; 
and  the  muskellunge  has  only  the  upper  half  of  both  cheeks 
and  gill  covers  scaled.  This  is 'the  surest  means  of  iden- 
tification. 

Ordinarily  the  fish  will  be  found  in  water  from  five  to 
twelve  feet  deep,  near  the  weeds,  water  lilies  and  grass 
that  grow  in  the  water.  He  is  solitary  in  his  habits  and 
haunts  the  same  place  daily  as  a  rule.  He  feeds  both  in 
morning  and  evening  but  the  best  time  to  fish  is  in  the 
evening,  from  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  until  dark. 

11 


162 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


The  kind  of  tackle  to  use  for  muskellunge  depends  on  the 
way  you  want  to  fish  for  them.  There  are  several  ways  of 
fishing,  such  as  trolling  with  both  hand  line  and  rod,  and 


MUSKZLLUNGE 


Showing  Difference  in  Scales  of  Pickerel,  Pike,  and  Muskellunge. 

casting,  with  live  or  artificial  bait.    Trolling  is  the  method 

most  often  used,  though  there  is  more  sport  in  bait-casting. 

For  trolling   with   a   hand   line,   strong  tackle   must   be 


PIKE,    PICKEREL,    MUSKELLUNGE,    PIKE-PERCH.     163 

employed.  A  line  tested  to  the  pull  of  forty  pounds  should 
be  used.  An  excellent  line  for  this  purpose  is  the  No.  21 
Cutty  hunk,  or  No.  24  of  tht  same  brand,  one  hundred  or 
more  yards  long.  It  should  have  a  steel  wire  leader  with  a 
swivel  or  two  on  the  end  and  a  spoon  bait  of  most  any  kind, 
large  and  strong.  This  is  simply  trailed  behind  the  boat 
and  when  a  musky  strikes  he  is  simply  hauled  in  by  main 
strength.  It  is  productive  of  fish  all  right,  but  lacking  in 
sport  when  compared  with  the  use  of  a  rod. 

For  trolling  with  a  rod,  a  short  heavy  bait-catsing  rod 
should  be  used.  A  steel  bait-casting  rod  with  trolling  tip  to 
use  in  place  of  the  ordinary  tip  is  all  right,  and  the  Bristol 
people  make  an  excellent  muskellunge  rod,  6  feet,  6  inches 
long,  weighing  thirteen  ounces.  The  latter  is  preferable  if 
you  want  to  try  casting,  and  it  is  best  if  fitted  with  agate 
lined  first  guide  and  tip.  The  advantage  of  a  steel  rod  for 
trolling  is  that  the  continued  strain  does  not  warp  the  tip. 
A  large  casting  reel,  the  kind  used  for  surf  casting,  is  best. 
It  should  hold  several  hundred  yards  of  line.  It  should  be 
fitted  with  a  leather  brake  or  handle  drag.  The  line  men- 
tioned above  will  do  for  trolling  but  is  no  good  for  casting 
and  if  you  want  to  do  any  of  this  kind  of  fishing  get  a  raw 
braided  silk  line,  tested  to  a  pull  of  thirty  or  forty  pounds 
E.  J.  Martin's  Sons  make  a  fine  line  especially  for  muskys, 
tested  to  stand  a  strain  of  forty  pounds.  The  longer  your 
line  the  better  as  you  can  give  that  much  more  to  the  fish  if 
need  be  and  the  more  nearly  full  the  spool  of  the  reel  pro- 
vided it  is  not  crowded,  the  better  you  can  reel  in  a  slack 
line.  The  same  wire  swivel  and  spoon  are  used  as  for 
hand-line  fishing. 

Trolling  should  be  done  over  water  from  eight  to  twelve 
feet  deep,  and  you  should  not  go  too  fast.  The  rod  should 
not  be  stuck  out  over  the  side  of  the  boat,  as  the  strain  is 
too  severe;  it  should  stand  straight  out  behind.  You  must 


164  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

\ 

have  a  boatman  to  row  and  help  you  land  your  fish  if  you 
want  to  be  sure  of  him.  A  good  sized  sharp  gaff  hook  is  a 
necessity  and  a  revolver  or  small  rifle  to  shoot  the  fish  before 
gaffing  is  a  good  thing  to  have. 

For  bait-casting  the  same  rod  and  reel  are  correct,  also 
the  same  bait  if  you  like,  but  a  live  bait,  fish  or  frog,  is  com- 
monly used.  The  soft  silk  line  is  the  only  kind  for  this  fish- 
ing. A  leader  of  four  ply  twisted  gut  with  a  hook  having 
a  wire  snell  and  barrel  swivel  is  best.  An  excellent  hook 
is  the  Van  Vleck,  size  No.  4,  with  short  chain  and  wire 
swivel.  The  Van  Vleck  hook  has  a  double  barb  on  the 
outside  of  the  point.  The  bait  should  be  a  good  sized  frog 
or  fair  sized  minnow.  It  should  be  well  hooked  on  through 
the  body  as  it  is  useless  to  try  to  hook  it  in  such  a  way 
that  it  will  live  any  length  of  time. 

While  there  are  many  artificial  baits  that  are  very  good, 
it  is  generally  agreed  that  a  natural  bait  is  better  and  if  it  is 
used  with  a  spinner  or  some  arrangement  is  made  to  spin 
the  bait,  it  is  all  the  more  attractive.  The  Archer  spinner 
is  excellent. 

Much  lighter  tackle  is  used  and  advised  by  some  anglers 
but  it  should  be  employed  only  by  an  expert.  A  thirty  pound 
muskellunge  puts  up  a  tremendous  fight  and  in  bad  water 
it  may  require  an  hour  or  more  to  bring  him  to  gaff.  You 
can  tire  him  much  more  quickly  with  a  heavy  rod  and  reel 
than  with  the  light  kind  and  with  light  tackle  there  is  always 
more  danger  of  losing  a  big  fish  no  matter  how  expert  you 
are  with  rod  and  reel. 

If  you  are  using  a  trolling  spoon  or  any  kind  of  artificial 
bait  strike  instantly,  as  soon  as  the  fish  takes  the  bait,  for 
he  will  drop  it  at  once  when  he  finds  it  is  not  good  to  eat. 
With  a  natural  bait  on  a  hook  give  him  time  to  swallow  the 
bait  before  you  strike.  Give  a  quick,  solid  jerk  to  set  the 
hook;  then  there  will  be  something  doing. 


PIKE,    PICKEREL,    MUSKELLUNGE,    PIKE-PERCH.     165 

Musky  fishing  is  sure  some  sport,  but  it  lacks  the  deli- 
cacy and  refinement  of  trout  fishing.  But  for  a  thrilling 
and  savage  fight  no  fresh  water  fish  can  equal  the  muskel- 
lunge.  The  muskellunge  is  good  food  fish,  and  like  all  of  the 
pike  family,  it  spawns  in  early  spring. 

The  wall-eyed  pike  or  pike  perch  is  also  known  by 
many  other  names,  and  I  fancy  many  of  my  readers  would 
not  recognize  the  fish  were  it  not  for  the  illustration  and  the 
description.  It  belongs  to  the  perch  family  and  by  compar- 
ing the  picture,  of  this  fish  with  that  of  the  yellow  perch  it 
will  be  noticed  that  the  wall-eye  is  simply  a  long,  slender 
perch,  in  appearance,  with  less  of  a  hump  on  the  back  and 
the  "finger  marks"  not  so  pronounced  as  on  the  yellow  perch. 

The  pike  perch  sometimes  grows  to  a  weight  of  ten 
pounds  or  more,  but  its  usual  weight  is  two  or  three  pounds. 
It  is  a  slender  fish,  having  two  dorsal  fins,  the  forward  one 
having  olive,  brown  and  yellow  markings,  and  the  tail  has 
similar  markings,  with  two  sharp  spines.  The  body  color  of 
the  fish  is  olive  or  brown  with  yellow  markings,  the  under 
parts  salmon  pink  or  yellowish.  The  eye  is  large  and  has  a 
peculiar  opaque  appearance. 

It  is  found  throughout  the  Great  Lakes  region  and 
Canada,  down  into  the  east-central  states,  in  parts  of  Penn- 
sylvania, Virginia  and  the  Carolinas,  and  perhaps  elsewhere. 
It  is  a  good  game  and  food  fish.  It  inhabits  only  deep 
water,  and  in  lakes  will  sometimes  be  found  at  a  depth  of 
twenty  or  thirty  feet.  It  prefers  cool  water  with  a  gravelly 
or  rock  bottom.  In  streams  it  will  be  found  at  the  foot  of 
rapids  and  below  log  jams  and  such  places. 

The  tackle  for  this  fish  is  the  same  as  for  bait  fishing  for 
black  bass.  The  best  bait  is  a  minnow,  but  crawfish  are  also 
used.  It  is  said  that  they  take  an  artificial  fly  wery  well,  on 
cloudy  days  and  in  the  evening,  as  they  are  mostly  nocturnal 
in  feeding  habits.  The  fishing  is  in  fact  so  much  like  that 


166 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


employed  in  the  capture  of  black  bass  that  the  same  instruc- 
tions will  do  for  both  fish,  except  that  for  the  wall-eye  you 
should  fish  deeper,  and  in  deeper  water.  The  fly  may  be  al- 
lowed to  sink  several  feet  after  each  cast. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Sunfish,  Carp,  Catfish  and  Suckers. 

RITERS  on  the  subject  of  fishing  commonly 
group   the  various   fish  under  their   family 
heads,    the    classification    of    the   naturalists 
being  used.     I  have  not  followed  this  rule 
and  the  only  way  I  can  bring  these  above  named 
fish   all   under   one   head   is   to    class   them   as 
"common  fishes."     It  is  by  this  title  that  this 
group  of  fish  is  generally  known.  • 

The  sunfish  family  comprises  many  species.  Our  gamey 
black  bass,  both  the  large  and  small  mouthed  kinds,  belong 
to  it.  The  others  are  the  rock  bass,  the  common  sunfish,  the 
calico  bass,  the  crappie,  the  blue  sunfish,  the  long  eared  sun- 
fish,  the  warmouth  perch,  etc.  These  are  also  known  in  lo- 
calities under  many  other  names,  which  is  confusing.  As 
the  mode  of  fishing  for  all  of  these  is  about  the  same,  I  will 
first  describe  the  fish  separately  and  then  tell  how  to  catch 
them. 

The  common  sunfish,  often  known  as  the  pumpkin  seed, 
is  found  throughout  the  Eastern  States,  the  Great  Lakes  re- 
gion, and  the  northern-central  states.  It  is  a  small,  flat  fish, 
being  "most  as  wide  as  long"  and  has  many  colors  on  its 
scaley  sides.  The  predominating  colors  are  blue  and  yellow, 
being  bluish  on  the  back  and  yellow  or  golden  color  beneath, 
the  dorsal  fin  which  is  very  large,  being  yellow  with  blue 
rays;  the  ear  tip  is  black  with  a  scarlet  border,  and  the  iris 
of  the  eye  is  also  scarlet.  It  is  such  a  common  fish  that  al- 
most everybody  in  the  East  who  has  ever  done  any  fishing  is 
familiar  with  it.  It  is  seldom  more  than  four  or  five  inches 

167 


168 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


long,  though  it  is  said  that  it  sometimes  attains  a  length  of 
eight  inches. 

The  rock  bass  is  also  known  as  goggle-eye  and  red  eye 
It  is  found  all  through  the  northern  and  central  states  and 
farther  south.  It  looks  a  little  like  a  black  bass  but  is 
broader,  and  is  much  smaller,  seldom  weighing  more  than  a 
pound  and  usually  only  half  as  much.  It  shows  a  number 


Common   Sunfish. 

of  colors,  dark  olive-green  and  yellow  predominating.  The 
iris  of  the  eye  is  red,  and  there  is  a  black  spot  on  the  gill 
cover.  Rows  of  small,  dark  spots  run  along  the  sides. 

The  strawberry  bass  or  calico  bass,  also  known  as  the 
northern  crappie  and  many  other  names,  is  found  in  the 
region  south  of  the  Great  Lakes  and  throughout  the  Missis- 
isppi  Valley ;  also  in  the  streams  t>f  all  of  the  Atlantic  Coast 
states  from  New  Jersey  southward.  It  has  the  typical  sun- 


SUNFISH^  CARP,  CATFISH  AND  SUCKERS.  169 

fish  shape,  but  has  a  flatter  and  thinner  body  than  the  others. 
It  seldom  reaches  a  length  of  more  than  ten  inches,  or  a 
greater  weight  than  one  pound,  but  much  larger  ones  are  said 
to  exist  in  some  waters.  The  general  color  is  olive-green, 
dark  on  the  back  and  pale  beneath.  The  sides  are  covered  all 
over  with  dark  sports;  the  fins  are  mottled. 

The  crappie  supplants  the  calico  bass  in  the  south.  It 
resembles  the  latter  fish  very  much,  but  when  specimens  of 
each  are  compared  a  difference  will  be  noted.  The  best 
way  to  distinguish  them  is  by  counting  the  spines  in  the 
dorsal  fin  (on  back)  ;  the  crappie  has  six  of  these  and  the 
calico  bass  has  seven.  It  is  also  of  a  paler  color. 

The  blue  sunfish  is  found  almost  all  over  the  eastern, 
central  and  southern  states.  In  Ohio,  and  other  of  the 
central  states,  it  is  known  as  the  blue-gill  and  in  the  South 
as  blue  bream  and  coppernosed  bream.  It  is  larger  than 
the  common  sunfish  and  sometimes  attains  a  weight  of  a 
pound  or  a  pound  and  a  half,  but  usually  is  lighter.  The 
coloring  is  greenish  or  bluish,  sometimes  a  slate  color, 
lighter  on  the  sides,  and  the  under  parts  are  copper  colored 
or  red.  The  ear  cover  is  dark  or  black. 

The  long  eared  sunfish  is  found  throughout  the  Missis- 
sippi Valley,  and  in  the  east  coast  streams;  also  in  the  Gulf 
States.  It  gets  its  name  from  the  large  ear  flap.  It  has  a 
red  iris  eye,  in  common  with  the  other  true  sunfish.  It  is 
bluish  on  the  back  and  orange,  brown  or  yellow  on  the 
under  parts.  The  ventral  and  anal-  fins  (fins  on  under  parts) 
are  blue,  and  the  dorsal  fin  is  orange  color  with  blue  rays.  It 
is  about  the  same  size  as  the  common  sunfish. 

The  warmouth  perch  is  also  a  sunfish,  and  is  sometimes 
called  the  black  sunfish.  In  appearance  it  resembles  some- 
what a  black  bass  but  is  broader  in  proportion  to  length, 
more  like  the  rock  bass.  It  is  found  in  the  South  and  also  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  Mississippi  Valley.  It  is  a  dark 
clive-green  on  the  back,  lighter  on  the  sides,  with  orange  or 


170  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

red  and  blue  spots,  and  greenish  yellow  on  the  under  parts. 
It  never  weighs  more  than  a  pound.  As  a  game  fish  it  is 
quite  a  favorite  and  takes  either  a  fly  or  natural  bait. 

All  of  the  sunfish  spawn  in  spring  and  early  summer. 
The  nest  is  made  in  a  bed  of  sand  or  gravel  in  shallow 
water  and  is  carefully  guarded  by  the  parent  fish.  After 
the  fry  make  their  appearance  they  are  guarded  by  the  male 
fish  until  several  days  old.  Their  food  consists  of  insects, 
larvae,  crustaceans,  the  fry  and  eggs  of  other  fish,  worms,  etc. 

Sunfish  of  nearly  all  kinds  will  rise  to  a  fly.  The  best 
fishing  is  to  be  had  in  late  afternoon  and  evening,  when  a 
light  breeze  is  blowing.  The  tackle  should  be  a  light  fly  rod, 
the  lighter  the  better,  a  small  single  action  reel,  smallest  en- 
ameled silk  line,  light  single  gut  leader,  three  feet  long,  and 
small  trout  flies. 

It  should  be  understood  by  all  who  read  this  book  that 
what  I  describe  as  the  "best"  tackle  is  the  kind  I  think  best, 
and  you  may  have  different  ideas  on  this  subject.  I  would 
not  expect  anybody  to  buy  a  special  fly  outfit  for  catching 
sunfish,  but  I  mean  that  this  is  what  I  consider  most  fitting, 
and  if  you  have  such  tackle,  use  it,  but  if  you  have  not  got 
that  kind,  use  what  you  have,  for  almost  any  kind  of  fish  can 
be  taken  with  almost  any  kind  of  tackle,  if  it  is  properly, 
handled.  You  can  catch  sunfish  with  a  long  cane  pole,  a 
cotton  line,  ringed  hook  and  bait,  but  will  get  more  enjoy- 
ment out  of  your  fishing  if  you  have  fine,  light  tackle  to  use 
for  them.  As  a  further  illustration,  large  muskellunge,  pike, 
and  Atlantic  salmon  have  been  taken  with  a  common  light 
trout  fly  rod  and  tackle,  and  the  large  and  gamey  ocean  fish 
are  sometimes  taken  on  tackle  as  light  as  that  sometimes 
used  for  black  bass  and  such  fish  —  at  the  same  time  they 
are  hauled  in  by  fishermen  using  a  heavy  handline.  There- 
fore, when  I  say  that  a  rod  of  this  kind,  and  that  kind  of  a 
line,  is  the  kind  to  use.  I  mean  that  if  you  have  that  kind, 
use  it,  or  if  you  want  to  buy  special  tackle  for  that  kind  of 


Upper— White    Perch;    Lower— Yellow    Perch. 


171 


172  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

fish,  buy  the  kind  described,  otherwise,  use  what  you  have  — 
be  content  with  it  and  enjoy  your  fishing,  for  you  will  not 
enjoy  it  much  if  you  are  continually  thinking  of  some  other 
person's  fine  tackle,  and  the  common  outfit  that  you  have  to 
use. 

For  bait  fishing  you  may  use  the  fly  outfit  described,  and 
snelled  hooks  of  size  6,  8  or  10.  For  the  crappie  you  can  use 
a  No.  4  or  No.  5  hook.  Snelled  Carlisle  hooks  are  about  the 
best  in  my  opinion,  and  a  split  shot  sinker  should  be  placed 
on  the  leader,  or  on  the  line  if  you  do  not  use  a  leader.  Or 
you  may  use  the  lightest  bait  rod,  with  a  small  reel,  either 
single  action  or  multiplier,  an  undressed  or  an  oiled  silk  line 
of  small  size,  or  the  lightest  twisted  linen  line.  I  would 
prefer  a  very  small  silk  line,  like  the  Kingfisher  Special 
Trout  line,  oiled  or  enameled.  Or  you  can  use  a  native  cane 
rod  and  no  reel,  but  the  same  line,  hooks  and  sinker.  You 
will  get  the  most  sport  from  using  the  lightest  tackle,  and  I 
think  you  will  get  more  fish  also,  but  you  should  not  use  an 
outfit  that  is  too  weak  to  hold  a  large  fish  of  some  other 
kind,  such  as  a  black  bass  for  instance,  for  you  can  never  be 
sure  what  you  will  catch.  The  little  silk  line  mentioned  is 
no  thicker  than  a  coarse  button  thread,  but  will  stand  a 
strain  of  ten  pounds,  and  that  is  strong  enough  for  almost 
any  ordinary  fresh  water  fish  if  it  is  handled  in  the  right 
way. 

The  larger  sunfish,  such  as  rock  bass  and  crappies,  may 
be  taken  on  a  live  minnow  bait ;  the  very  small  minnows  with 
a  stripe  on  the  side,  those  about  two  inches  long,  are  the  ones 
to  use.  Hook  them  lightly  just  under  the  dorsal  fin.  Cast 
the  bait  and  let  it  sink  well  down,  then  reel  in  very  slowly. 
After  all  there  is  nothing  better  than  the  common  angle- 
worm. Use  the  smaller  ones  and  bait  the  hook  so  that  the 
worm  can  wiggle.  Soft-shelled  crawfish,  or  the  peeled  tail 
of  a  hard  shelled  one  also  makes  good  bait.  A  single  gut 
leader  should  always  be  used,  and  a  split  buckshot  for  a 


SUNFISH^  CARP,  CATFISH  AND  SUCKERS.  173 

sinker.  I  don't  think  it  necessary  to  mention  the  various 
places  they  are  likely  to  be  found  at  certain  times,  and 
other  such  information,  for  the  angler  will  soon  learn  this 
if  he  fishes  often  in  the  same  waters,  and  nothing  that  I 
could  tell  would  be  of  any  special  value. 

Another  very  common  fish  is  the  yellow  perch,  or  ringed 
perch.  It  is  found  in  eastern  Canada,  the  region  immediately 
north  of  the  Great  Lakes,  the  upper  Mississippi  Valley,  Mich- 
igan, Indiana,  Ohio,  and  all  of  the  states  bordering  on  the 
Atlantic  ocean.  It  is  a  nicely  shaped  fish,  a  little  wide  in 
proportion  to  length,  with  a  high  back  and  rather  small  head. 
The  back  is  olive  and  the  sides  yellow,  lighter  beneath,  and 
over  the  back  and  sides  are  some  six  or  seven  dark  vertical 
bands,  like  finger  prints. 

The  yellow  perch  reaches,  in  some  waters,  a  weight  of 
two  pounds,  though  it  is  usually  under  a  pound  in  weight. 
It  is  a  gamey  fish,  and  an  excellent  food  fish  when  taken 
from  good  waters. 

Perch  may  be  caught  by  still  fishing,  with  the  same  outfit 
described  and  recommended  for  sunfish.  Baits  are  the  same 
as  for  sunfish,  but  almost  any  kind  of  bait  will  do.  A  small 
casting  spoon  will  also  catch  them,  and  sometimes  they  rise 
well  to  a  fly. 

The  white  perch  is  a  sea  fish,  but  is  caught  in  the  brack- 
ish waters  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  at  the  river  mouths  |  It  does 
very  well  when  transplanted  to  fresh  water  and  sometimes 
ascends  the  streams  quite  a  distance.  It  grows  a  little  larger 
than  the  yellow  perch.  It  is  -caught  with  the  same  kind  of 
tackle  and  the  same  bait,  also  shrimp,  shedder  crab,  small 
eel,  etc." 

The  white  bass  is  one  of  the  true  basses,  and  one  of  the 
two  that  live  in  fresh  water,  for  most  of  the  bass  are  sea 
fish.  It  is  found  in  certain  waters  in  the  upper  Mississippi 
Valley;  also  in  Lake  Michigan  and  Lake  Erie.  Its  usual 
weight  is  about  a  pound,  but  specimens  of  two  pounds  or 


174 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


more  have  been  taken.  The  fish  takes  a  fly  well  and  may 
be  caught  with  trout  fly  tackle;  also  with  bait  such  as  for 
sunfish.  Like  sunfish,  these  fish  go  in  schools,  and  when  you 
find  a  school,  or  when  the  fish  come  your  way  you  can  expect 
good  sport  until  they  have  moved  on  again. 

The  yellow  bass  is  found  only  in  the  lower  Mississippi 
and  its  tributaries.  It  resembles  the  white  bass  very  much, 
and  is  caught  in  the  same  way,  with  the  same  kind  of  bait. 

A  fish  that  interests  many  because  it  is  so  abundant  and 
grows  to  a  large  size,  and  yet  is  very  difficult  to  catch,  is  the 


The  Common  Carp. 

carp.  They  are  not  a  good  food  fish,  but  may  be  eaten  if 
properly  prepared  and  cooked.  They  should  be  skinned  so 
that  the  "muddy  taste"  will  be  removed.  At  the  best  they 
are  a  coarse  and  flavorless  fish. 

The  carp  is  not  a  native  of  this  country,  but  was  intro- 
duced from  Europe.  At  first  it  was  kept  only  in  private 
ponds,  but  it  was  not  long  in  finding  its  way  into  the  streams, 
where  it  increased  in  numbers  at  a  rapid  rate.  At  present  it 
is  found  in  the  lakes  and  streams  of  almost  all  parts  of  the 
United  States.  Carp  are  abundant  in  Lake  Erie  and  arc 


SUNFISH,  CARP,  CATFISH  AND  SUCKERS.  175 

netted  in  large  numbers  for  the  market,  finding  a  ready  sale 
in  the  Jewish  quarters  of  the  large  cities. 

The  carp  usually,  when  full  grown,  weighs  live  or  six 
pounds,  but  specimens  of  ten  or  even  fifteen  pounds  have 
been  taken.  The  fish  does  best  in  stagnant,  mud-bottomed, 
and  weedy  streams  and  ponds.  It  feeds  on  the  bottom,  in 
deep  water  usually,  eating  both  vegetable  and  animal  food. 

The  only  successful  way  of  catching  carp  with  hook  and 
line  is  by  the  old-time  English  method.  A  very  light,  but 
strong  line  is  used,  and  a  six-foot  single  gut  leader.  The 
hook  should  be  very  small,  about  10  or  12,  and  the  sinker  is  a 
single  split  buckshot.  A  quill  float  is  used.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  have  a  reel,  and  the  rod  may  be  of  common  cane,  but 
a  bait  rod  and  reel  may  be  used.  The  sinker  is  placed  about 
six  or  eight  inches  above  the  hook  and  the  quill  float  so 
placed  that  the  sinker  will  just  reach  the  bottom  when  the 
line  is  stretched  up.  This  outfit  is  prepared  and  the  feeding 
place  of  the  fish  looked  up  in  advance  of  the  actual  fishing, 
and  the  place  is  well  baited  the  evening  before  to  get  the 
carp  to  working  there.  Green  corn,  angleworms,  minced 
meat,  bread  and  small  dough  balls  are  used  for  baiting  the 
water,  and  for  baiting  the  hook  a  red  worm  or  a  pill  of  half 
baked  dough,  or  a  piece  of  clam  may  be  used.  The  hook 
should  be  well  covered  so  that  the  fish  cannot  feel  it  when 
he  takes  the  bait,  or  he  will  eject  it.  Early  in  the  morning 
and  late  in  the  evening  are  the  best  times  to  fish  for  carp. 
Approach  cautiously  and  drop  the  bait  at  the  proper  place 
with  as  little  noise  and  disturbance  of  the  water  as  possible. 
Then  place  the  rod  in  the  rests,  which  should  also  be  placed 
there  beforehand,  and  retire  to  a  little  distance  where  you  can 
see  the  float  and  not  be  seen  or  heard  by  the  fish.  When 
the  float  goes  under  water  go  and  get  your  fish.  If  you  have 
a  reel  on  your  rod  you  can  handle  him  easily,  but  otherwise 
you  should  have  a  limber  cane  or  wood  rod,  so  that  the  line 


176  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

or  leader  will  not  be  so  likely  to  break.  It  is  well  also  to 
have  a  landing  net  or  a  gaff  hook. 

And  now  we  come  to  the  catfish,  the  homeliest  fish  that 
inhabits  our  fresh  waters,  but  highly  esteemed  by  many 
anglers  nevertheless,  and  generally  regarded  as  a  good  food 
fish  if  we  forget  out  prejudice  and  let  some  other  person 
dress  and  cook  him. 

The  common  bullhead  or  horned  pout  has  a  wide  distri- 
bution, being  found  over  all  parts  of  the  eastern  half  of  the 
United  States,  and  I  understand  also  in  parts  of  the  West. 
It  sometimes,  though  rarely,  reaches  a  length  of  eighteen 
inches  and  a  weight  of  four  pounds.  The  usual  length  is 
from  ten  to  fourteen  inches.  It  is  an  ugly  fish,  having  a 
very  large  flat  head,  a  large  mouth,  with  long  streamers  or 
barbels  hanging  from  the  jaws.  It  has  no  scales,  but  a 
tough,  shiny  skin  like  an  eel.  The  anal  fin  is  very  large,  and 
the  pectoral  fins  (behind  the  gills)  have  stout,  sharp  spines, 
which  make  ugly  wounds,  and  the  "cat"  can  use  them  much 
as  a  boxer  uses  his  fists.  The  color  is  brown  on  the  back, 
shading  to  yellow  on  the  sides  and  light  beneath. 

The  bullhead  loves  quiet,  deep  water,  where  the  bottom 
is  muddy  and  he  thrives  best  there.  He  seems  to  be  more  at 
home  in  warm  water  than  in  cool,  and  you  will  find  him 
active  and  enjoying  life  when  all  of  the  other  fishes  are  seek- 
ing the  cool  waters  and  will  not  take  a  bait.  But  your  cat- 
fish is  ever  eager  to  take  any  bait  that  is  offered  to  him,  pro- 
viding that  you  put  it  down  where  he  can  get  it  without 
rising,  for  though  he  is  not  particular  what  he  eats  he  does 
not  like  any  unnecessary  exertion  on  his  part. 

To  catch  bullheads,  all  you  need  is  a  long  cane  rod;  a 
line  about  the  same  length,  and  a  light  linen  line  will  answer 
as  well  as  any  other;  a  No.  4  hook,  preferably  one  with  a 
long  shank,  as  it  renders  extraction  easier;  and  a  small  lead 
sinker  about  ten  inches  above  the  hook.  If  you  like  you  may 
also  use  a  cork  float  to  tell  you  when  the  fish  is  biting.  You 


SUNFISH,  CARP,  CATFISH  AND  SUCKERS.  177 

can  use  only  one  pole,  or  two  or  three,  as  you  like  for  they 
are  "set"  in  rests  provided  on  the  bank.  After  setting  the 
rods  you  can  light  up  and  take  things  easy  until  a  cork  goes 
out  of  sight,  then  haul  in  your  fish.  You  needn't  be  afraid 
of  hurting  him  and  he  will  try  his  best  to  hurt  you  while  you 
are  removing  the  hook,  so  look  out  for  his  spines  on  the 
pectoral  fins. 

For  bait  you  may  use  angleworms,  soft  shelled  crawfish, 
or  the  tail  of  a  shelled  one,  a  piece  of  liver,  a  mussel,  or  what 


Common  Catfish  or  Bullhead. 

is  probably  better  thun  anything  else,  a  strip  of  fresh  beef. 
In  quiet,  mud  bottomed  water,  where  weeds  and  lilies  grow, 
is  the  best  for  bullheads.  You  can  catch  them  at  any  time  of 
day,  but  evening  or  after  dark  is  best.  It  is  always  good 
after  a  thunder  shower. 

Besides  the  bullheads  there  are  about  thirty  other  kinds 
of  catfish  found  in  this  country.  The  largest  is  the  Missis- 
sippi catfish  or  blue  cat.  It  is  found  in  the  Mississippi  river, 
and  others  rivers  of  the  South;  also  the  Great  Lakes.  It 
sometimes  reaches  a  weight  of  100  pounds,  or  even  more. 

12 


178  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

These  large  ones  are  taken  only  on  trot  lines  with  large  hooks 
baited  with  pieces  of  meat  or  liver. 

The  channel  cat  is  a  much  smaller  fish  and  though  it  is 
said  to  reach  a  weight  of  twenty  pounds  sometimes,  the 
usual  weight  is  five  or  six  pounds.  It  is  a  nicer  appearing 
fish  than  the  other  members  of  the  family,  being  more 
slender  and  having  a  head  smaller  in  proportion  to  body. 
The  tail  is  forked  and  the  anal  fin  is  very  large.  It  shades 
from  dark  slate  on  the  back  to  white  on  the  under  side  and 
shows  a  number  of  small  black  spots  on  the  sides.  It  is 
found  throughout  the  Mississippi  Valley  and  the  Great 
Lake  region;  also  in  other  rivers  of  the  Southern  States. 
The  channel  cat,  unlike  the  bullhead  and  other  members  of 
the  catfish  family,  prefers  running,  clear,  cool  water,  where 
the  bottom  is  gravelly  or  stony.  It  is  a  better  fish  than  any 
of  the  others,  and  takes  almost  any  kind  of  natural  bait, 
even  live  minnows,  if  they  are  not  moved  too  rapidly.  The 
tackle  for  this  fish  may  be  the  same  as  for  the  bullhead  ex- 
cept that  line  and  hooks  should  be  stronger.  If  desired,  a 
black  bass  bait  outfit  can  be  used. 

Catfish  of  all  kinds  are  very  tenacious  of  life.  Fish 
caught  in  late  evening  will  sometimes  live  out  of  water  over 
night.  It  is  best,  though,  to  kill  them  as  soon  as  caught  — 
more  humane  and  they  make  better  food.  In  dressing  they 
must  be  skinned,  and  are  best  if  soaked  a  few  hours  in  salt 
water  before  cooking.  Properly  prepared  they  are  very  good. 

Of  the  suckers  there  are  many,  about  seventy  species  I 
am  told.  Of  these  the  common  white  sucker  is  the  most  im- 
portant. Buffalo  fish  and  red-horse  are  also  classed  as 
suckers. 

The  white  sucker  is  found  all  over  the  eastern  and 
central  parts  of  the  United  States  and  Canada.  It 
reaches  a  length  of  twenty  inches  in  the  Great  Lakes  and 
somewhat  less  when  found  in  streams,  growing  larger  in 
some  streams  than  in  others.  It  is  a  smooth,  cylindrical  fish 


179 


180  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

with  large  fins  and  the  characteristic  sucker  mouth.  It  is 
gray  on  the  back,  light  ashy  on  the  sides  and  white  beneath. 
The  sucker  spawns  in  spring,  about  May,  and  ascends  the 
streams  for  this  purpose.  About  the  Great  Lakes  there  is  a 
heavy  run  of  these  fish  in  the  streams,  at  that  time  of  year 
At  such  times  they  are  taken  in  gill  nets  stretched  across  the 
streams,  also  by  slipping  a  brass  wire  snare  over  the  fish 
when  they  lie  in  shallow  water,  and  by  spearing.  They  do 
not  take  a  bait  at  such  times,  nor  during  the  summer  when 
the  water  is  clear,  except  on  rare  occasions.  They  are  caught 
mostly  in  early  spring  when  the  rains  raise  the  water  and 
discolor  it.  At  such  times  they  feed  in  the  eddies  of  the 
streams,  or  muddy  bottom,  and  may  be  caught  by  still  fishing 
with  a  number  of  rods,  which  are  set,  in  the  same  way  as 
for  carp.  The  rod  should  be  a  long  native  cane,  or  a  wood 
rod.  Sometimes  a  slender,  dead,  white  pine  is  trimmed  of 
branches  and  knots  and  the  bark,  also  some  of  the  wood 
shaved  off,  making  a  fairly  good  rod,  though  cane  is  better 
The  smallest  cuttyhunk  linen  line,  or  an  oiled  silk  line,  or 
a  light  cotton  line  is  all  right.  Two  or  three  No.  10  or  12 
snelled  hooks  are  fastened  to  the  line  near  the  end,  being 
placed  about  ten  inches  apart,  and  a  sinker  weighing  from  a 
half  ounce  to  an  ounce  is  tied  to  the  end  of  the  line.  It  is 
a  common  practice  to  attach  the  sinker  by  means  of  a  weaker 
line,  so  in  case  it  gets  caught  between  stones  the  weak 
string  instead  of  the  line  will  be  broken.  A  cork  is  also 
used.  The  hooks  should  be  baited  with  angleworms,  well 
bunched,  with  an  end  hanging  loose  to  wriggle. 

Instead  of  using  rods,  some  fishermen  use  hand  lines,  and 
by  means  of  the  sinker  throw  the  bait  out  into  deep  water 
then  fasten  the  other  end  of  the  line  somewhere  on  shore 
Before  using  such  rigs  it  is  best  to  look  up  the  fishing 
laws  and  see  whether  these  lines  may  be  used  lawfully,  also 
how  many  may  be  used  by  one  person,  and  how  many  hooks 
may  be  used  on  a  line. 


SUNFISH^  CARP,  CATFISH  AND  SUCKERS.  181 

The  buffalo  fish  is  found  in  the  Mississippi  and  its 
branches.  It  grows  to  a  weight  of  fifteen  pounds.  It  is 
caught  by  still  fishing  with  somewhat  heavier  tackle,  baited 
with  worms.  The  large  mouthed  buffalo  is  found  in  the 
Mississippi  also,  as  well  as  in  other  large  rivers  of  the 
South  and  central  portion  of  the  United  States.  It  reaches 
a  weight  of  fifty  pounds.  Heavier,  stronger  tackle  must 
be  used  for  them.  The  red  horse  is  also  called  a  mullet 
It  resembles  the  white  sucker  somewhat  but  is  brown  in 
color.  Suckers  are  not  highly  esteemed  as  food  fish  but 
the  white  sucker  taken^from  swift,  hard-bottomed  streams  is 
not  at  all  bad. 


The  White  Sucker. 

The  only  other  bottom-feeding  fish  that  I  will  mention  is 
the  eel.  This  is  the  strangest  fish  inhabiting  fresh  water 
and  appears  to  be  the  connecting  link  between  the  fishes  and 
something  else.  It  is  long,  slender  and  cylindrical,  usually 
being  about  two  and  a  half  feet  long  and  only  one  and  a 
half  inches  in  diameter  at  the  thickest  part.  The  dorsal,  anal 
and  candal  fins  are  all  in  one,  commencing  about  the  middle 
of  the  back  and  running  clear  around  the  tail  to  the  under 
side  and  well  forward.  It  has  no  scales,  but  a  very  tough 
skin.  The  color  is  slaty  on  the  back  and  white  beneath 
Some  are  yellow  on  the  sides  and  in  under. 


182  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

Contrary  to  the  rule  of  sea-going  fish  the  eel  breeds  in 
salt  water  and  sojourns  in  the  fresh  streams  in  summer. 
They  frequently  go  up  stream  500  miles  from  the  sea, 
perhaps  farther.  When  found  in  clear  streams  they  are 
excellent  food  fish. 

Eels  are  voracious  and  eat  all  kinds  of  small  fish, 
crustaceans,  worms,  etc.  They  are  shy  and  are  seldom  seen 
by  day  as  they  retire  under  the  stones  or  bore  into  the 
muddy  bottom  as  soon  as  daylight  appears,  and  do  not 
as  a  rule  come  out  again  until  nightfall,  unless  the  day  is 
dark  or  rainy  and  the  water  muddy,  when  they  may  be 
caught  all  day  long. 

The  tackle  mentioned  for  suckers  is  good  for  the  eel, 
but  only  one  hook,  and  that  a  larger  one,  about  No.  1, 
should  be  used.  It  may  be  baited  with  a  worm  or  a  piece  of 
fish,  or  any  kind  of  raw  meat,  for  the  eel  is  not  particular 
what  he  eats.  He  even  eats  carrion  when  it  can  be  found 
in  the  streams,  and  for  this  reason  many  people  will  not 
eat  eels.  Fish  for  them  on  the  bottom  in  deep  water. 
You  can  also  catch  them  at  night  if  it  is  dark,  but  not  when 
it  lightnings,  and  you  must  not  build  a  fire.  They  are  also 
taken  on  trot  lines  or  short  rods  set  from  the  bank,  with 
short  strong  twine  lines  and  large  hooks,  baited  with  pieces 
of  fish.  When  caught  the  eel  puts  up  a  desperate  struggle, 
and  for  his  size  he  possesses  greater  strength  than  any  other 
fish.  It  is  almost  impossible  for  a  strong  man  to  hold  in 
his  bare  hands  an  eel  weighing  but  a  pound  and  a  half,  for 
he  squirms,  winds  his  body  about  your  wrists,  and  kicks  as 
no  other  fish  can.  It  is  best  to  wear  a  woolen  or  canvas 
glove  when  handling  them,  as  they  are  more  easily  held 
then. 

When  eek  return  to  salt  water  in  late  summer  they  may 
be  taken  in  fish  baskets  built  in  the  streams,  if  the  laws  allow 
it.  The  basket  consists  of  a  number  of  sloping  shelves  of 


SUNFISH,  CARP,  CATFISH  AND  SUCKERS.  183 

slats,  which  allow  the  water  to  run  through  but  catch  the 
fish.  Wings  of  stones  extend  out  on  each  side  to  guide 
the  eels  into  the  trap.  I  have  known  of  over  400  eels 
being  taken  in  one  night  in  such  a  trap,  when  the  stream 
was  rising. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
Fishing  For  Tarpon  and  Tuna. 

HE  tarpon  is  one  of  the  most  highly  prized 
game  fish  of  salt  water,  a  large  fish  that 
fights  wonderfully  when  hooked,  leaping 
sometimes  ten  feet  from  the  water.  I 
do  not  suspect  that  many  readers  of  this 
work  are  tarpon  fishers  but  if  any  ever  have  the  opportunity 
it  is  a  sport  that  is  second  to  none,  and  should  not  be 
passed  by  without  a  trial. 

The  tarpon  is  found  in  the  GuU  of  Mexico  and  off  the 
east  coast  of  Florida,  the  most  famed  places  being  Indian 
River  Inlet,  Jupiter  Inlet,  North  Inlet,  and  all  the  way 
around  to  Tampa  Bay,  and  down  along  the  west  side  of 
the  Gulf  to  Tampico,  Mexico.  Tarpon  move  south  in  the 
fall  and  winter  and  northward  in  spring.  They  appear 
along  the  Florida  coast  in  February,  and  along  the  Texas 
coast  in  March,  but  are  not  found  in  their  greatest  numbers 
until  April  and  May.  They  do  not  take  a  bait  until  the 
last  of  May. 

This  fish  resembles  a  herring  somewhat  in  outline.  It  is 
a  slender,  graceful  fish,  and  is  covered  with  enormous  silvery 
scales.  The  color  on  the  back  is  a  deep  bluish  or  purplish, 
silvery  on  the  sides  and  beneath.  The  dorsal  and  anal  fins 
are  of  peculiar  shape,  and  the  tail  is  large  and  deeply  notched. 
The  average  weight  of  the  full  grown  fish  is  from  75  to  150 
pounds,  but  it  is  said  to  reach  a  weight  of  400  pounds  and  a 
length  of  eight  feet. 

The  fish  are  such  great  fighters  and  there  is  such  great 
sport  in  angling  for  them,  that  a  number  of  tarpon  clubs  have 
been  formed,  and  these  clubs  regulate  the  strength  of  tackle 

184 


FISHING  FOR  TARPON  AND  TUNA. 


185 


that  may  be  used  by  the  members.  They  require  the  use  of 
very  light  tackle,  and  prizes  are  given  for  the  record  fish. 

Tarpon  are  fished  for  mostly  in  the  morning,  but  are  also 
taken  on  moonlight  nights.  They  are  caught  with  mullet 
bait.  They  are  taken  mostly  by  trolling  the  outfit  at  about 
75  or  100  feet  behind  the  boat.  A  good  boatman  is  a 
necessity. 

The  tackle  usually  employed  is  a  one-piece  rod  of  lance- 
wood,  split  bamboo  or  greenheart  with  removable  butt,  double 
guides  and  agate  tip.  The  usual  length  is  about  six  feet  six 
inches,  and  the  weight  is  about  twelve  or  thirteen  ounces  for 


The  Tuna, 


the  tip  and  about  the  same  for  the  butt.  Quite  large  tarpon 
have  been  taken  on  rods  with  a  six  ounce  tip,  and  No.  9 
twisted  linen  line,  which  will  stand  a  strain  of  only  eighteen 
or  twenty  pounds,  and  this  is  the  tackle  required  by  the 
Aransas  Pass  Tarpon  Club,  of  Aransas  Pass,  Texas,  but 
the  really  large  tarpon  are  not  taken  on  such  tackle,  or  to  be 
more  exact  they  are  not  held  by  it.  The  standard  lines  are 
from  21  to  30  thread  linen,  and  will  stand  from  forty-two 
to  sixty  pounds  strain.  The  reel  must  be  a  tarpon  reel  of 
rubber  and  German  silver,  holding  250  yards  of  wet  line.  It 
should  have  a  handle  drag,  which  is  described  elsewhere, 


186  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

and  this  should  be  regulated  to  a  pull  of  about  eight  pounds. 
The  reel  should  be  of  high  quality.  The  hooks  used  should 
be  those  made  for  such  fishing.  The  Van  Vleck  with  forked 
barb  is  a  favorite,  and  there  are  others  of  the  regular  pattern 
that  are  all  right/  A  wire  leader,  attached  to  the  line  by  a 
strong  barrel  swivel  is  used  and  the  first  ten  feet  of  line 
should  be  double.  It  is  well  to  make  some  provision  for  the 
sharks  that  inhabit  the  same  water  with  the  tarpon,  and 
are  likely  to  get  fast.  For  this  purpose  a  six  inch  cotton 
line  is  inserted  between  the  leader  and  the  hook,  or  the 
entire  leader  may  be  of  cotton  wound  to  within  six  inches 
of  the  hook  with  copper  wire.  The  tarpon  swallows  the  bait 
and  is  hooked  deep  so  that  the  unprotected  cotton  is  well 
inside  his  mouth  but  where  it  cannot  be  cut  by  his  boney 
jaws.  The  shark,  if  he  takes  the  bait,  snaps  right  shut  on 
the  leader  and  will  thus  sever  the  cotton  line.  In  case  you 
only  expect  to  fish  a  few  days  it  is  better  to  rent  tackle,  as 
tarpon  tackle  is  very  costly. 

The  bait  is  trolled  over  forty  or  fifty  feet  of  water. 
When  the  bait  is  taken  the  angler  should  set  the  hook  in- 
stantly. In  still  fishing  he  should  let  the  fish  run  thirty  or 
forty  feet  before  striking.  The  fish  must  be  played  in  the 
same  way  as  a  smaller  fish  and  it  is  usually  a  desperate 
struggle  before  the  fish  can  be  brought  alongside  and  gaffed. 
He  makes  great  leaps,  sometimes  actually  leaping  into  the 
boat,  and  it  is  not  only  exciting  but  even  dangerous .  some- 
times. He  also  sounds  deep,  and  makes  long  rushes  which 
must  be  checked  by  the  reel  brake,  and  it  will  be  necessary 
to  "pump"  him  sometimes. 

The  boatman  must  be  an  expert  in  handling  a  boat  and 
must  keep  the  stern  turned  towards  the  fish  at  all  times. 
He  must  know  all  about  the  habits  of  the  fish,  and  how  to 
catch  them,  and  when  you  bring  the  fish  in  he  must  know  how 
to  gaff  him,  and  must  do  the  gaffing. 

Tarpon  are  no  good  as  food  and  are  only  caught  for 


1-Tarpon;  2-Blueflsh  ;  3-Kingflsh. 


187 


188  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

the  sport  and  to  mount  as  trophies.  The  small  ones  are 
always  released.  To  do  so  they  are  gaffed  carefully  under 
the  jaw  and  held  until  the  hook  is  extracted. 

The  only  rival  of  the  tarpon  as  a  game  fish,  is  the  great 
leaping  tuna  of  the  California  coast,  near  the  Santa  Catalina 
Islands.  There  it  reaches  an  average  weight  of  150  pounds, 
but  I  don't  know  how  heavy  it  really  does  get  in  the  Pacific, 
though  in  the  Atlantic,  where  it  is  found  from  New  Jersey 
northward  it  reaches  a  weight  of  1200  pounds.  These  mon- 
sters have  never  been  taken  with  rod  and  line,  and  the 
record  is  a  680  pound  fish.  At  Santa  Catalina  is  the  greatest 
sea  fishing  to  be  had  anywhere  in  the  world,  and  the  fishing 
is  all  conducted  on  true  sportsman's  lines.  There  is  one  club 
known  as  the  Three-Six  Tackle  Club  that  will  not  use  a 
line  heavier  than  a  6  thread  linen,  which  will  not  stand  a 
strain  of  more  than  fifteen  pounds.  It  seems  impossible  to 
catch  such  large  fish  as  tuna,  which  have  such  a  reputation 
for  fighting,  on  such  tackle,  and  of  course  the  large  ones 
could  not  be  held  with  it.  I  think  the  record  for  this  tackle 
is  a  sixty  pound  fish.  Ordinarily  the  same  tackle  is  used  for 
tuna  as  for  tarpon.  Flying  fish  are  used  for  bait.  The  leader 
should  be  of  phosphor-bronze,  six  feet  long,  and  the  line 
for  ten  feet  should  be  double.  The  bait  is  cast  into  a  school 
of  the  fish  when  they  are  chasing  flying  fish,  and  after  hook- 
ing the  fish  it  is  sometimes  hours  before  he  is  tired  out,  and 
the  boat  is  towed  several  miles.  The  fishing  is  done  from 
small  motor-boats  made  specially  for  tuna  fishing. 

The  Atlantic  tuna  or  Canadian  tuna,  is  sometimes  called 
horse  mackerel,  in  fact  it  is  more  often  known  by  that  name 
than  by  the  name  tuna.  They  grow  to  an  immense  size,  1200 
pounds  or  even  more,  and  it  seems  that  they  are  the  same  as 
those  found  in  the  Pacific  as  regards  fighting  qualities,  except 
that  the  largest  fish  of  any  kind  are  not  the  fiercest  fighters. 
They  are  found  very  rarely  as  far  south  as  New  Jersey, 
and  are  most  abundant  off  the  coast  of  Nova  Scotia  and 


FISHING  FOR  TARPON  AND  TUNA.  189 

especially  in  St.  Anne's  Bay  and  Mira  Bay,  Cape  Breton. 
These  fish  are  seldom  taken  with  rod  and  line  but  are  har- 
pooned. A  few  years  ago  Mr.  J.  K.  L.  Ross,  writing  for  a 
certain  sporting  magazine  said  that  he  never  knew  of  an 
Atlantic  tuna  being  landed  with  rod  and  line,  but  since  that 
time  he  has  been  fortunate  enough  to  capture  the  world's 
record  tuna  taken  in  this  way.  This  great  fish  weighed  680 
pounds.  I  understand  that  he  used  a  tuna  rod  of  one  piece  and 
butt;  a  special  VomHofereel  holding  300  yards  of  line,  and  a 
No.  39  linen  line  of  that  length.  Mr.  Ross  is  probably  the 
most  enthusiastic  Canadian  tuna  fisherman  living  and  has 
hooked  large  numbers  of  these  fish  but  invariably  loses  them 
by  the  tackle  giving  way  or  the  line  being  cut  by  the  other 
tuna.  Some  of  his  earliest  trouble  of  this  kind  was  caused 
by  the  bait  slipping  up  over  the  wire  leader  to  the  line, 
after  the  fish  was  hooked,  and  the  other  fish  in  their  efforts  to 
get  the  bait  bit  the  line.  He  put  an  end  to  this  trouble  by 
,  fastening  a  short  piece  of  wire  crosswise  of  the  leader  to 
keep  the  bait  from  traveling  off  the  leader  and  onto  the  un- 
protected line.  A  twelve  foot  leader  is  used  and  it  is  made 
of  piano  wire.  The  hook  is  the  largest  tuna  hook  with  a 
six  inch  chain  attached.  If  the  fish  is  finally  brought  to  gaff, 
a  harpoon  style  gaff  which  has  a  rope  attached  and  detaches 
from  the  handle  after  hooking  the  fish,  is  the  kind  that  must 
be  used.  As  such  a  large  fish  could  not  be  taken  into  a  boat 
he  must  be  towed  ashore. 

Think  of  capturing  a  680  pound  fish  with  a  line  that 
probably  would  not  stand  a  strain  of  more  than  eighty 
pounds!  What  fine  handling  of  rod  and  reel  must  be  nec- 
essary to  check  the  rushes  of  such  a  fish  on  300  yards  of  line ! 
The  fish  will  tow  a  boat  many  miles,  and  if  allowed  to  have 
their  own  way  will  do  so  for  days.  At  the  very  best  it 
would  take  hours  of  work  to  land  such  a  fish  and  the  catch 
would  not  dare  be  allowed  a  minute's  rest  until  brought  to 
gaff.  The  Pacific  tuna  tackle  would  be  useless  here. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Fishing  For  Other  Sea  Fish. 

EEP  sea  fishing  for  the  gamey  amber  jack, 
bluefish,  weakfish,  and  other  denizens  of  the 
deep  is  exciting  sport  and  interesting  to  all 
anglers,  whether  they  have  an  opportunity  to 
indulge  in  it,  or  whether  they  must  be  content 
to  only  read  of  it  and  live  in  hope,  and  I 
regret  that  for  the  purpose  of  this  work  I  must  confine  this 
great  branch  of  angling  to  a  single  chapter.  I  can  only  give 
brief  descriptions  of  the  fish  and  tell  in  a  few  words  how 
they  are  captured. 

Many  fine  game  fish  are  found  off  the  Pacific  coast. 
The  tuna  has  already  been  described.  There  are  several 
smaller  tuna,  good  game  fish,  but  a  description  of  these  cannot 
be  given  here.  In  the  Pacific  along  the  coast  of  California 
and  southward  is  found  the  black  sea  bass  or  jewfish,  an 
ocean  monster  running  up  to  800  pounds  in  weight.  It  re- 
sembles the  black  grouper  of  the  eastern  ocean,  but  is  a 
finer  fish.  In  appearance  it  is  very  much  like  a  monster 
black  bass.  It  is  caught  by  still-fishing  from  an  anchored 
boat  in  about  fifty  feet  of  water,  tuna  tackle  being  used. 
Albacore  is  used  for  bait.  The  fish  puts  up  a  great  fight, 
but  is  not  to  be  compared  with  the  tuna. 

The  yellowtail  of  the  Pacific  is  not  the  little  fish  known 
by  that  name  along  the  Florida  coast,  but  is  a  larger  fish, 
running  up  to  sixty  or  eighty  pounds  in  weight.  It  is  a 
splendid  fighter.  A  light  salt-water  rod  is  used  for  them,  and 
a  nine  thread  linen  line.  Linen  line  is  the  only  thing  for 
ocean  fishing  as  silk  will  not  stand  the  salt  water.  The  bait 

190 


Jewfish,  or  Black  Sea  Bass,  from  the  Pacific  Coast. 


191 


192  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

used  is  sardine,  and  it  is  taken  with  a  rush  that  will  surely 
break  the  tackle  if  allowance  is  not  made  for  this.  From 
seventy-five  to  one  hundred  yards  of  line  is  used,  and  the 
fish  may  'be  caught  by  trolling  or  still-fishing. 

A  fish  found  on  the  Florida  west  coast  and  the  coast  of 
the  Carolinas,  called  the  amberjack  is  very  much  like  this 
western  yellowtail.  It  reaches,  about  the  same  weight  and 
puts  up  a  fight  equal  to  that  of  a  tarpon  of  the  same  weight, 
perhaps  greater.  A  medium  salt-water  rod,  good  sized  reel 
and  200  yards  of  line  will  be  needed.  Bait  with  small  fish  or 
use  one  of  the  salt-water  spoon  baits. 

To  tell  what  kind  of  tackle  to  use  for  each  kind  of  fish 
when  fishing  near  the  Florida  coast  is  not  a  practical  way  or 
rather  it  is  not  practical  to  give  advice  on  tackle  for  this 
and  for  that  fish.  Down  there  one  never  knows  what  kind 
of  fish  he  is  going  to  catch,  but  as  most  of  the  ocean  fish 
found  there  will  run  from  twenty  to  eighty  pounds  in  weight 
it  is  wise  to  use  something  that  will  handle  these  largest  fish. 
All  such  fish  as  the  black  grouper,  barracuda,  amberjack,  etc., 
are  great  fighters,  and  large  reels  equipped  with  long  lines  of 
suitable  strength  must  be  used.  I  will  only  mention  what  is 
considered  good  tackle  for  each  fish  and  those  who  are 
thinking  of  going  there  can  boil  it  all  down  strike  an 
average,  and  select  something  just  a  little  heavier.  An  outfit 
can  be  chosen  that  will  answer  for  everything  from  the 
tarpon  down. 

"The  striped  bass  is  one  of  the  best  game  fishes  found 
on  the  Atlantic  coast  and  may  be  caught  from  Nova  Scotia 
to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  It  sometimes  reaches  a  weight  of 
sixty  pounds,  but  those  taken  in  brackish  water  at  the  river 
mouths  usually  weigh  only  from  three  to  ten  pounds.  It 
is  found  mostly  along  rocky  shores.  It  is  taken  by  surf 
casting  all  summer  long,  but  the  fishing  is  best  in  August 
and  September.  Shedder  crab  is  used  mostly  for  bait  also 
eel  tail  and  blood  worms,  but  menhaden,  shrimp,  etc.,  will 


FISHING  FOR  OTHER  SEA  FISH. 


193 


also  catch  them  and  in  the  South  mullet  is  used  successfully. 
For  fishing  in  brackish  water  a  regular  black  bass  bait  rod,  a 


l-Barracuda  ;  2-Squeteague,  or  Weakfish  ;  3-Spanish  Mackerel. 

twisted  linen  line  and  a  2/0  Sproat  hook  is  commonly  used. 
A  good  sized  reel  and  a  long  line  are  always  safest.    The 
striped  bass  is  a  desperate  fighter. 
18 


194  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

The  weakfish  or  squeteague  is  weak  only  in  name.  It  is 
found  all  along  the  coast  from  the  New  England  states  to 
Florida.  It  grows  to  a  weight  of  twelve  pounds,  but  the  usual 
weight  is  two  or  three  pounds  only.  It  is  a  surface  feeder 
and  is  caught  in  the  bays  and  channels  mostly  by  trolling 
with  the  artificial  squid  and  light  tackle.  It  may  also  be 
taken  by  surf  casting.  The  best  fishing  in  channels  is  at 
flood  tide  or  just  before.  Out  in  the  open  water  the  best 
fishing  is  at  ebb  tide.  The  best  natural  baits  are  shedder 
crab,  killie,  shrimp  and  worms.  A  linen  line  and  1/0  to 
3-/0  Sproat  hooks  and  gut  leader  are  the  right  kind  of  tackle. 
The  weakfish  has  a  soft  mouth  and  must  be  played  carefully. 
Use  a  landing  net  to  get  the  fish  into  the  boat.  Perhaps  the 
most  successful  way  of  taking  them  is  by  casting  from  an 
anchored  boat,  keeping  the  bait  constantly  in  motion,  as  row- 
ing is  likely  to  frighten  the  fish.  They  are  also  taken  by 
casting  tin  or  bone  squids  with  a  hand  line.  They  sometimes 
take  the  artificial  fly.  In  the  South  a  variety  of  this  fish  is 
called  the  sea-trout  or  spotted  weakfish. 

Channel  bass  or  red  drum  are  found  from  New  York 
southward  along  the  coast  to  Texas.  It  reaches  a  weight  of 
seventy  pounds,  though  the  usual  weight  is  from  twenty  to 
forty.  It  is  abundant  about  the  Carolinas  and  Georgia.  It 
is  taken  by  surf  casting  and  by  deep  fishing.  Light  or 
medium  salt-water  rods,  medium  linen  line  and  4/0  hook  is 
aibout  the  right  outfit.  Shedder  crab  and  shrimp  are  the 
most  favored  baits;  menhaden  and  clam  are  also  good.  It 
is  caught  mainly  in  mid-summer,  from  July  to  October. 

The  black  sea  drum  is  found  in  the  same  waters  as  the 
channel  bass.  It  is  caught  by  surf  casting,  using  clam 
bait.  The  size  of  this  fish  is  about  the  same  as  channel 
bass. 

The  sheepshead  is  another  Atlantic  fish  found  from 
New  England  to  Mexico.  The  average  weight  is  about 
ten  pounds  in  the  North  and  six  or  eight  pounds  in  the  South, 


FISHING  FOR  OTHER  SEA  FISH.  195 

but  it  grows  sometimes  to  a  weight  of  eighteen  or  twenty 
pounds.  It  is  a  bottom  feeder  and  a  good  food  fish  but  not  a 
long  fighter.  On  light  tackle  it  makes  good  sport.  It  fre- 
quents the  shallow  waters  near  rocky  shores.  A  No.  2 
Sproat  hook,  linen  line,  leader  and  regular  black  bass  bait 
rod  and  reel  is  about  the  right  thing.  The  large  wooden 
reels  are  much  used.  It  may  be  caught  during  flood  and 
ebb  tide  from  March  to  October  on  crab  and  clam  bait. 

The  bluefish  is  the  wolf  of  the  sea  as  it  is  exceedingly 
voracious,  preying  on  all  kinds  of  fish  smaller  than  itself. 
It  sometimes  grows  to  a  weight  of  twenty-five  pounds  but 
averages  about  ten.  It  is  found  from  Nova  Scotia  southward 
to  the  tropics.  It  may  be  caught  on  menhaden  or  killie  bait 
by  fishing  from  a  boat  and  sometimes  a  grinder  is  attached  to 
the  side  of  the  boat  and  one  of  the  occupants  grinds  fish 
for  bait,  letting  the  minced  fish  fall  into  the  water.  This  is 
called  "chumming"  and  the  minced  fish  attracts  the  bluefish 
to  the  scene.  They  may  be  caught  by  trolling  a  bone  or 
metal  squid  at  a  lively  clip.  The  bait  must  be  kept  in  rapid 
motion  or  the  fish  will  not  take  it.  The  squid  may  be  cast 
from  shore  beyond  the  surf,  using  a  stout  linen  line  and  a 
metal  leader.  The  fish  when  hooked  is  simply  hauled  out 
onto  the  beach.  After  the  squid  is  cast  it  is  drawn  in 
rapidly.  For  rod  fishing  use  a  light  salt-water  rod,  and  a 
good  sized  reel  holding  200  yards  of  No.  12  linen  line.  Use 
a  three  foot  metal  leader  and  a  4/0  Sproat  or  O'Shaughnessy 
hook.  The  fish  must  not  be  allowed  to  get  any  slack  line 
after  he  is  hooked.  Young  bluefish  or  snappers  as  they  are 
called  may  be  caught  on  trout  tackle  and  No.  4  Carlisle  hook 
by  fishing  about  three  feet  deep,  keeping  the  bait  in  rapid 
motion.  The  fish  run  only  from  six  to  ten  inches  long.  The 
best  fishing  is  in  early  morning. 

The  red  snapper  is  a  bottom  feeding  fish  of  the  South, 
common  off  the  Florida  coast.  It  frequently  reaches  a  weight 
of  twenty-five  pounds.  It  is  found  near  the  rocky  reefs 


196 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


and  may  be  caught  with  light  salt-water  rod,  12  thread  linen 
line  and  No.  4/0  O'Shaughnessy  hook  baited  with  crab,  or 
shrimp  or  strips  of  shark  or  bluefish  flesh. 


Upper  —  Striped    Bass  ;    Lower  —  Sea   Bass. 

The  black  grouper  resembles  the  black  sea  bass,  but  it  is 
found  in   the  Atlantic   from  the  Ca-rolinas   southward.     It  is 


FISHING  FOR  OTHER  SEA  FISH. 


197 


caught  by  bottom  fishing  on  heavy  sea  tackle  baited  with 
mullet  and  crab.  It  grows  to  a  weight  of  400  pounds. 

The  red  grouper  is  found  in  the  same  waters.  It  is  a 
bottom  feeding  fish  reaching  a  weight  of  forty  or  fifty 
pounds.  It  is  caught  on  medium  tackle  with  crab  and  fish 
bait. 

The  great  barracuda  is  a  long,  slender  fish,  reaching  a 
length  of  six  feet.  It  is  found  in  southern  waters  though 
other  species  of  barracuda  are  found  as  far  north  as  the 
New  England  states.  It  is  a  surface  feeding  fish  and  is 


Red  Drum  or  Channel  Bass. 

caught  on  tarpon  tackle  baited  with  mullet,  or  by  trolling 
an  artificial  squid  or  a  spoon  bait. 

A  smaller  game  fish  of  the  southern  coast,  and  some- 
times found  as  far  north  as  Massachusettt,  is  the  ladyfish. 
It  weighs  about  two  to  four  pounds.  It  is  caught  on  a 
regular  fresh-water  bait  rod  or  a  light  salt-water  rod,  9 
thread  line,  2/0  O'Shaughnessy  hook  and  wire  leader,  baited 
with  crab  or  mullet. 

The  kingfish  is  caught  on  the  same  tackle,  from  New 
Jersey  southward  along  the  coast  to  Texas.  It  grows  to  a 


198  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

weight  of  twelve  pounds.  In  northern  waters  the  kingfish 
is  not  the  same  as  these  southern  fish  and  does  not  get  as 
large,  seldom  going  over  five  pounds,  and  usually  much 
smaller.  For  these  common  bass  tackle  may  be  used.  The 
bait  may  be  sand  worm,  shedder  crab,  shrimp  or  clam.  The 
fishing  is  done  from  an  anchored  boat  near  rocky  places. 

The  cunner  is  a  small  fish  of  about  a  half  pound  weight 
found  in  the  North  Atlantic  and  common  on  the  New  Eng- 
land coast.  It  is  the  same  in  salt  water  as  the  sunfish 
is  in  the  streams,  the  delight  of  the  iboy  fisherman,  though 
despised  by  anglers  who  are  after  larger  game  as  it  takes 
the  bait  of  any  kind  all  too  readily.  Any  kind  of  light 
tackle  may  be  used  for  these  fish. 

The  sea  bass  is  found  all  along  the  coast  from  Massa- 
chusetts to  Florida.  It  grows  to  about  ten  pounds,  but  the 
more  common  weight  is  from  one-half  pound  to  two  pounds. 
It  may  be  caught  by  bottom  fishing  near  rocky  reefs,  baiting 
with  clam,  shedder  crab  or  sand  worms.  Light  salt-water 
tackle  should  be  used,  and  a  No.  1/0  or  2/0  hook. 

The  tautog  is  a  popular  bottom  feeding  food  fish,  com- 
mon along  the  New  Jersey  coast,  and  known  usually  as 
blackfish.  It  is  fished  for  from  the  rocks  and  precipitous 
shores,  and  from  boats  anchored  near  reefs.  Clams,  crabs 
and  worms  are  used  for  bait.  The  fish  weighs  two  or  three 
pounds  in  near-shore  waters,  though  it  sometimes  weighs 
as  much  as  ten,  and  as  high  as  twenty  when  caught  in  the 
open  ocean.  The  best  fishing  is  in  April  and  May.  The 
best  time  is  during  flood  tide.  Medium  salt-water  tackle 
and  stout  hooks,  about  No.  3  Virginia  pattern,  should  be 
used  for  open  sea  fishing,  and  the  same  hook  but  somewhat 
lighter  tackle  may  be  used  along  shore. 

A  small  fish  called  the  spot  or  Lafayette  is  found  in 
abundance  all  along  the  coast  from  New  York  southward. 
It  seldom,  if  ever,  goes  over  a  pound  in  weight.  It  is  a 
fine  food  fish  and  a  good  fighter.  They  are  caught  in  large 


FISHING  FOR  OTHER  SEA  FISH. 


199 


numbers  in  the  brackish  water  at  flood  tide  in  spring  and 
fall,  and  in  less  numbers  during  summer.  A  light  bait  rod, 
9  thread  linen  line  and  No.  6  Pennell  hook,  with  a  light 
sinker  six  inches  above  the  hook  is  a  nice  outfit  for  them. 
The  hooks  should  be  baited  with  small  bits  of  clam  or  sand 
worms,  and  sometimes  they  take  shedder  crab.  The  bait 
should  be  just  large  enough  to  cover  the  end  of  the  hook. 


Sheepshead. 

The  porgy  is  another  very  common  and  very  abundant 
fish,  found  all  along  the  Atlantic  coast.  It  is  known  also  as 
scup,  and  scuppaug.  It  weighs  up  to  three  pounds  and  is 
caught  by  bottom  fishing  in  the  channels,  baiting  with  clam, 
small  crabs,  and  sand  worms.  Light  tackle  and  No.  6  hook 
is  used. 


200  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

I  might  go  on  and  speak  of  hundreds  of  other  sea  fish 
but  all  I  could  say  would  be  of  little  value  to  anybody,  as  the 
limits  of  this  work  make  very  brief  mention  necessary. 
Those  living  near  salt  water  know  far  more  about  salt- 
water fish  than  other  people  do,  and  if  one  is  going  there 
to  fish  he  will  do  well  to  take  advice  from  these  anglers 
and  note  closely  the  methods  employed. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Making,  Repairing,  and  Caring  For  Tackle. 

EPAIRING  and  caring  for  fishing  tackle  is  of 
prime  importance  and  by  care  the  fine  goods 
may  be  kept  up  for  many  years,  and  thus 
it  becomes  cheaper  in  the  end,  besides  giv- 
ing better  satisfaction  while  in  use.  While  the 
initial  cost  of  fine  tackle  makes  it  necessary  to 
dig  down  deep  in  the  pocket-book  it  is  possible 
for  many  anglers,  those  who  are  skilled  in  the 
use  of  tools  and  are  careful  workmen,  to  make  much  of  their 
own  tackle  and  thus  save  some  of  the  expense,  have  high 
quality  goods,  and  have  the  pleasure  of  making  it  besides. 
I  have,  when  speaking  of  rods,  recommended  the  higher 
priced  article,  although  I  realized  that  many  readers  of  this 
work  would  be  unable  to  indulge  in  such  luxuries.  But  by 
making  your  own  rod  you  can  have  one  equal  to  the  highest 
priced  article,  and  it  will  not  cost  more  than  half  as  much. 
It  is  possible  for  an  angler  to  make  a  fine  split  bamboo  rod, 
but  it  is  difficult  to  fit  the  strips  perfectly  and  at  the  same 
time  keep  the  outside  of  the  stick  of  proper  dimensions,  so 
difficult  that  I  would  not  advise  an  amateur  to  try  it.  until  he 
has  had  considerable  experience  in  making  solid  wood  rods. 
But  the  glued  strips  all  ready  for  mounting  and  wrapping  may 
be  purchased  so  that  even  in  this  it  is  possible  to  save 
something. 

As  stated  in  the  chapter  on  rods,  there  are  three  kinds 
of  woods  generally  used  in  making  fishing  rods,  and  these 
are  lancewood,  greenheart,  and  bethabara.  In  England  green- 
heart  is  the  favorite  rod  wood,  but  in  this  country  lance- 

201 


202  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

wood  is  preferred  by  the  majority  of  those  who  use  solid 
wood  rods.  Bethabara  is  better  than  either  in  the  opinion 
of  most  of  those  who  have  given  the  subject  study,  but  rods 
of  this  material  are  more  costly  than  those  of  lancewood  or 
greenheart,  therefore  comparatively  few  bethabara  rods  are 
sold,  but  when  buying  wood  from  which  to  make  a  rod, 
the  difference  in  cost  is  so  little  that  there  is  no  good 
excuse  for  taking  anything  inferior. 

While  I  don't  know  what  particular  style  of  rod  you  are 
interested  in,  I  take  it  that  the  majority  would  prefer  to 
make  a  bait  rod  for  the  first,  as  it  is  more  generally  useful 
than  any  other  kind,  therefore  I  have  drawn  a  diagram  show- 
ing the  measurements  for  a  three  piece  bait  rod  which  when 
jointed  will  measure  about  eight  feet  two  inches.  The  dimen- 
sions of  this  rod  make  it  very  nice  for  all-around  use.  This 
diagram  shows  the  three  pieces  in  correct  diameter,  but  very 
much  shortened.  To  know  how  much  it  is  shortened  it  is 
enough  to  state  that  the  wood  for  the  butt  joint  (A)  is  thirty- 
two  inches  long  and  an  allowance  of  one  and  a  half  inches 
for  ferrule  (the  wood  only  goes  to  the  middle  of  the  female 
ferrule),  will  make  this  section  measure  33£  inches  over  all. 
The  second  joint  (B)  measures  3>2f  inches,  and  when  ferrules 
are  fitted  will  measure  the  same  over  all  as  the  butt  piece. 
It  will  be  understood  that  the  smaller  caliber  ferrules  are  also 
shorter,  hence  the  difference  in  length  of  wood.  The  tip 
joint  (C)  measures  33  inches,  which  allows  of  one-half  inch 
for  the  agate  tip,  but  when  finished  each  piece  is  the  same 
length  as  the  others. 

On  the  butt  joint  I  have  shown  the  diameter  in  fractions 
of  an  inch,  and  the  spaces  between  measurements  are  four 
inches  each.  This  makes  the  stick  sixteen  inches  from  the 
small  end  to  the  place  where  the  swell  of  the  handle  begins. 
A-l  shows  the  handle  proper,  7£  inches  long  by  1  inch  thick 
at  its  greatest  diameter.  Below  this  is  a  section  l£xf  inch 
for  a  butt  cap.  A-2  is  the  space  allotted  for  the  reel  bed. 


203 


204  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

This  rod  is  to  have  reel  bands  only,  instead  of  a  metal  reel 
seat,  and  a  place  is  hollowed  out  in  this  section  for  the 
bed  of  the  reel.  The  movable  band  is  placed  farthest  from 
the  grip  so  that  the  reel  is  'brought  up  close  to  be  con- 
venient for  thumbing.  This  reel  seat  space  is  four  inches 
long  by  |  inch  thick.  The  tapered  portion  (A-3)  is  a  grace- 
ful taper  2f  inches  long,  from  the  diameter  of  the  reel  seat 
portion  (£  inch)  to  the  diameter  of  the  first  measurement 
on  the  rod,  or  15/32  inch.  This  butt  is  to  be  made  complete 
from  one  piece  of  wood,  and  properly  finished  will  make 
a  fine  rod.  If  you  don't  like  the  hard,  smooth  wood  grip, 
you  can  make  it  a  trifle  lighter  and  wind  it  closely  and  care- 
fully with  some  dark  colored  twisted  linen  line,  about  27 
or  30  thread  size.  This  will  make  a  very  good  grip. 
Or  you  can  make  it  still  smaller,  say  three-fourths  of 
an  inch,  and  wind  it  with  split  cane,  which  you  can  buy 
from  furniture  upholsterers. 

The  middle  joint  measures  15/64  inch  at  the  small  end 
and  3/8  inch  at  the  large  end.  The  measurements  on  this 
joint,  as  well  as  the  tip,  are  3  5/9  inches  apart.  Now,  I  realize 
that  this  is  an  awkward  measurement  and  you  are  not  likely 
to  have  any  gauge  that  measures  in  unequal  fractions,  and 
to  make  this  easy  I  have  marked  off  a  strip  at  the  bottom  of 
this  diagram  that  measures  exactly  35/9  inches  in  length, 
the  exact  distance  between  these  measurements  on  tip  and 
second  joint.  The  tip  joint  will  measure  15/64  inch  at  the 
heavy  end  and  3/32  inch  at  the  small  end. 

It  has  often  been  said  that  we  have  no  native  woods 
suitable  for  rod-making,  that  they  are  all  too  heavy,  or  too 
stiff,  but  I  once  saw  a  very  fine  fly  rod,  a  light  weight  one 
at  that,  the  tip  and  middle  joint  made  of  "juneberry,"  a 
wood  found  in  the  mountain  district  of  the  eastern  states, 
and  perhaps  elsewhere.  You  may  know  this  wood  under 
some  other  name,  as  I  don't  think  that  "juneberry"  is  right. 
It  is  usually  more  or  less  crooked  and  holds  its  thickness 


MAKING,  REPAIRING  AND  CARING  FOR  TACKLE.       205 

well,  seldom  grows  to  a  greater  diameter  than  eight  inches 
has  a  rather  smooth,  dark  bark,  small  leaves  about  like  rose 
leaves  in  shape,  but  very  smooth.  It  blossoms  in  May  and 
later  grows  a  small  fruit,  similar  in  appearance  to  a  haw,  but 
much  smaller,  say  about  like  a  wild  cherry,  first  red  and 
when  ripe  a  sort  of  purple  color.  A  wood  that  appears  to 
be  a  dwarf  variety  grows  in  the  North  and  is  called  saska- 
toon. This  fly  rod  had  the  two  upper  pieces  of  this  wood 
and  the  butt  of  sassafras,  'a  strong  and  very  light  wood. 
Dr.  Henshall  recommends  ash  as  a  wood  for  the  butt  piece. 
White  ash  is  very  good  for  this  and  it  can  be  procured  with- 
out cost  in  most  places,  so  that  the  only  wood  you  will  need 
to  buy  is  that  for  the  second  joint  and  tip.  For  this  you  can 
purchase  from  any  of  the  large  fishing  tackle  dealers  two 
pieces  of  square  lancewood,  four  feet  long,  one  piece  3/8  inch 
in  diameter  for  twenty  cents,  and  another  piece  1/2  inch  in 
diameter  for  twenty-five  cents.  Or  you  can  get  greenheart 
of  the  same  sizes  for  twenty-five  and  fifty  cents,  respectively, 
or  bethabara  in  these  sizes  for  thirty  and  forty  cents  each. 
These  as  well  as  all  other  prices  given,  are  only  approximate 
and  the  actual  cost  will  depend  much  on  where  you  buy.  If 
you  prefer  you  can  buy  sticks  already  turned  round  and 
ready  for  finishing  for  about  double  these  prices. 

You  will  need  two  pairs  of  ferrules,  the  larger  3/8  inch 
and  the  smaller  15/64  inch.  Plain,  straight  brass  ferrules, 
not  shouldered  or  welted,  will  cost  five  cents  for  the  small 
size  and  ten  cents  for  the  larger,  but  you  don't  want  these. 
When  you  go  to  the  trouble  of  making  a  rod  you  want  to 
make  a  good  one,  otherwise  there  is  no  satisfaction  in  making 
and  using  it,  and  there  is  certainly  no  saving  in  cost,  for 
you  can  buy  a  cheap  or  medium  quality  rod,  ready  made, 
much  cheaper  than  you  can  make  it.  Nickel-plated,  shoul- 
dered ferrules  of  these  sizes  will  cost  about  ten  cents  each. 
German  silver  shouldered  ferrules  will  cost  fifteen  cents  and 
twenty-five  cents  respectively.  Welted  ferrules  (those  having 


206  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

an  extra  thick  edge  to  top  of  female  ferrule)  of  this  kind 
will  cost  five  cents  more  each.  Serrated  and  welted  German 
silver  ferrules,  which  are  the  finest  thing  you  can  get,  will 
cost  about  thirty  and  forty  cents,  respectively. 

I  advise  the  use  of  German  silver  ferrules.  They  are 
harder  and  stronger  than  nickel-plated  brass,  and  always 
look  nice,  while  nickel  plate  will  wear  off  in  a  few  years  and 
show  the  brass  underneath.  The  welted  ferrules  are  both 
handsomer  and  better  than  the  plain  ones,  as  the  welt  pro- 
tects the  edge  from  dents,  and  welted  ferrules  are  the  ear- 
marks of  a  fine  rod.  Serrated  ferrules  have  six  long  points 
on  the  end  of  each,  and  these  points  when  covered  with  a 
wrapping,  add  greatly  to  the  strength  of  the  rod  as  the  long 
points  act  as  springs  and  keep  the  wood  from  being  bent 
across  a  sharp  edge,  as  it  must  when  plain  base  ferrules  are 
used.  These  are  especially  good  for  split  bamboo  rods,  one 
of  the  long  points  fitting  over  each  strip  of  bamboo,  and  they 
are  easily  fitted  to  the  six-sided  strip,  something  that  is 
difficult  with  plain  ferrules.  What  kind  of  ferrules  you  should 
buy  for  this  rod  I  leave  for  you  to  decide,  but  I  advise  the 
best  welted  and  serrated  German  silver  ferrules.  You  will 
never  regret  the  additional  expense. 

In  addition  to  the  wood  and  ferrules  you  will  need  for 
this  rod  you  will  want  a  3'/4  inch  butt  cap  of  a  material  to 
correspond  with  the  ferrules.  If  the  latter  are  nickel-plated 
you  will  want  a  nickel-plated  butt  cap,  costing  about  six 
cents,  and  if  German  silver  ferrules  are  used,  or  even  with 
nickel  ones,  you  can  use  a  German  silver  butt  cap,  costing 
twelve  or  fifteen  cents.  You  must  also  have  a  set  of  reel 
bands  to  match  the  other  mountings;  these  must  be  of  7/8 
inch  size  and  in  nickel  plate  will  cost  about  ten  cents ;  in 
German  silver  they  will  cost  twenty-five  cents. 

In  case  you  don't  like  to  use  reel  bands  you  can  fit  a 
solid  metal  reel  seat  here.  It  will  cost  about  twenty-five 
cents  in  nickel  plate  and  sixty  cents  in  German  silver.  A 


MAKING,  REPAIRING  AND  CARING  FOR  TACKLE.        207 

finer  article  with  tapered  hood  and  welted  band  will  cost 
forty  cents  for  the  nickel-plated  kind  and  seventy-five  cents 
for  German  silver.  As  stated  before,  these  prices  are  likely 
to  vary  somewhat,  depending  on  who  you  buy  from  and  it  is 
best  to  have  catalogs  from  several  dealers  when  making  out 
your  order.  The  reel  bands  described  and  recommended 
may  be  difficult  to  get  in  German  silver,  as  few  dealers 
carry  them. 

For  guides  you  can  use  either  the  snake  guides  or  two 
ring  German  silver  tie  guides.  You  will  want  seven  of 
these  and  they  should  be  of  the  three  smallest  sizes,  the 
three  nearest  the  tip  of  the  smallest  size,  the  two  next  of  a 
size  larger,  and  the  next  two  a  size  larger  still.  Then  on 
the  butt  piece,  close  to  the  ferrule  you  will  want  to  mount  a 
small  adamant  or  imitation  agate  guide,  and  you  will  want  a 
three-ring  adamant  tip,  3/32  inch  size.  These  guides  and 
tip,  the  complete  outfit,  will  cost  in  the  neighborhood  of  sixty 
cents. 

The  other  materials  required  are  a  stick  of  ferrule 
cement,  costing  about  fifteen  cents;  a  bottle  of  rod  varnish, 
costing  twenty-five  cents;  and  two  spools  of  winding  silk  at 
fifteen  cents  per  spool.  These  may  be  any  color  desired. 
These  are  the  only  materials  required,  but  if  you  want  to 
keep  the  wrapping  a  nice  color  you  will  want  a  small  quantity 
of  white  shellac  to  apply  before  varnishing.  Varnishing  the 
wrapping  will  darken  it  considerably.  Also,  if  you  use  betha- 
bara  for  second  joint  and  tip  and  ash  for  the  butt  you  must 
stain  the  latter  before  varnishing,  as  bethabara  is  a  very 
dark  wood  and  ash  is  white.  I  am  not  sure  that  you  can 
stain  it  to  the  exact  color,  but  advise  that  you  see  a  paint 
store  man  about  this  staining.  It  doesn't  matter  a  bit,  though, 
whether  it  is  the  exact  shade  of  the  other  wood  or  not. 

Now,  as  I  figure  it,  the  material  for  this  rod,  using 
bethabara  and  ash,  the  latter  of  which  you  can  get  some- 
where near  home,  will  cost  about  three  dollars  and  ten  cents, 


208  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

and  with  fifty  cents  added  for  transportation  charges,  and 
twenty-five  cents  for  shellac  and  stain,  the  entire  cost  would 
be  three  dollars  and  eighty-five  cents,  and  with  this  material 
you  can  make  a  rod  worth  anywhere  from  ten  dollars  to 
fifteen  dollars,  and  will  have  something  to  'be  proud  of.  I 
have  made  no  allowance  for  an  extra  tip  for  this  rod,  but  if 
you  can  stand  it,  you  will  do  well  to  make  the  extra  tip,  for 
the  tip  joint  is  the  most  likely  to  break  in  use.  This  piece 
should  be  fitted  with  guides,  but  ferrule  and  adamant  tip  are 
not  needed,  as  in  case  you  break  the  other  tip  piece  you  can 
use  the  mountings  on  this  one,  It  is  true  that  you  could  also 
use  the  guides,  but  the  wrappings  would  have  to  be  varnished 
and  you  would  not  only  have  to  wait  until  you  could  find 
opportunity  to  do  this  work  of  mounting  the  guides,  but 
would  also  have  to  wait  for  the  varnish,  two  coats,  to  dry. 
If  you  have  it  wrapped,  and  guides  fitted  and  all  varnished 
complete,  all  that  you  need  to  do  to  make  it  ready  for  fish- 
ing in  case  you  have  an  accident  with  the  other,  is  to  re- 
move the  ferrule  and  adamant  tip,  and  place  these  fixtures 
on  the  extra  tip.  This  requires  only  a  few  minutes,  and  it 
will  be  in  condition  for  fishing  immediately.  To  have  this 
extra  tip  will  only  cost  about  fifty  cents  more. 

The  wood  comes  in  square,  rough  strips.  It  is  best  to 
get  them  both  thicker  and  longer  than  needed  when  finished, 
to  work  out  any  flaws  that  may  appear,  and  I  have  made 
allowance  for  this.  To  make  perfectly  tapered  and  per- 
fectly round  sticks  require  careful  and  slow  work.  It  is 
good  to  spend  five  minutes  in  measuring  and  inspecting  for 
each  minute  of  actual  work.  You  will  want  a  very  sharp 
iron  smooth  plane,  lightly  set;  a  bastard-cut  file,  a  flat  mill- 
cut  file;  some  No.  00  emery  paper,  and  some  coarser,  say 
No.  1 ;  a  pair  of  outside  measuring  calipers  that  measure 
to  64ths.  of  an  inch,  or  if  you  can't  get  this  you  can  use 
plain  calipers  and  a  rule  with  these  graduations ;  a  small 
saw,  a  sharp  pocket  knife,  a  marking  compass,  and  a  bench 


MAKING,  REPAIRING  AND  CARING  FOR  TACKLE.       209 

on  which  to  work.  To  hold  the  square  sticks  you  will  need 
a  grooved  board  fastened  on  your  bench.  The  groove  should 
be  such  that  a  square  stick  will  fit  into  it  when  placed  corner 
down,  and  the  easiest  way  to  get  this  groove  is  to  use  two 
straight-edged  strips  of  hard  wood,  with  the  two  meeting 
edges  on  top  planed  off  to  a  45-degree  face,  so  that  when 
placed  side  by  side  they  make  a  sharp,  bottomed  groove  for 
the  stick.  You  will  also  want  a  try-square,  or  what  is  still 
better,  a  bevel-guage.  The  first  step  is  to  square  up  your 
ash  butt  to  one  inch,  the  diameter  of  the  handle,  then  find 
the  center  of  each  end  by  drawing  straight  lines  across  the 
end  from  corner  to  corner  and  where  these  lines  cross  is  the 
center.  If  you  can  put  the  stick  in  a  lathe  you  can  turn  this 
handle  to  shape  with  very  little  work,  but  if  you  don't  have 
access  to  a  lathe,  take  your  compass  and  setting  the  point  in 
the  center  of  the  end  of  the  stick  make  a  .circle  that  just 
touches  the  edge  on  each  flat  side.  Then  draw  a  line  across 
each  corner  just  touching  the  circle  and  so  placed  that  it 
throws  an  equal  portion  on  each  flat  surface,  and  from  end 
to  end  draw  two  perfectly  straight  lines  on  each  flat  side, 
making  these  lines  strike  the  ends  .of  the  short  lines  drawn 
across  the  corners.  If  this  is  properly  done  you  will  have 
two  lines  lengthwise  on  each  side  of  this  strip,  and  each  line 
will  be  the  same  distance  from  the  edge.  Now  place  the 
strip  in  the  grooved  board  on  the  bench  and  carefully  plane 
off  each  corner  the  entire  length  until  your  plane  just  cuts 
these  lines.  When  this  is  done  you  have  an  octagonal 
shaped  stick,  and  each  of  the  eight  sides  is  of  the  same 
width.  Then  you  plane  each  corner  down  lightly  and  you 
have  a  stick  with  sixteen  sides,  and  when  these  corners  are 
carefully  cut  down  you  have  an  almost  round  stick.  When 
the  corners  show  very  faintly  it  is  best  to  use  the  file  for 
cutting  as  a  plane  shaving  may  cut  too  much. 

14 


210 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


Then  on  the  butt  make  a  3/4  inch  circle  and  measure  off 
1 5/8  inches,  and  round  this  portion  down  and  round  the 
end,  and  you  have  the  butt  shaped  for  the  cap.  Then  you 
can  shape  the  handle  and  the  reel  bed  and  then  shape  the 
slender  part  of  this  butt  stick  down,  rounding  it  in  the  way 
described,  and  being  very  careful  to  make  it  measure  ex- 
actly as  shown  in  the  diagram.  This  part  must  first  be 
squared  in  a  taper  as  shown,  and  then  the  corners  planed 
down  forming  an  octagon,  'but  always  keep  the  measure- 
ments right,  and  do  the  last  rounding  of  corners  with  the 


Regulation  Method  of  wrapping  a  Rod. 

flat  file.  The  coarse  file  is  used  where  you  don't  care  to 
plane,  and  in  shaping  handle  and  butt,  etc. 

The  second  joint  and  tip  must  be  made  in  the  same 
way,  by  squaring  the  stick  and  bringing  it  to  the  proper 
measurements  from  end  to  end,  then  throw  a  circle  on  each 
end  (you  can't  carry  this  out  to  the  tip,  but  do  it  as  far  as 
practicable),  then  a  line  across  each  corner  to  form  an 
octagon,  and  lines  drawn  with  a  straight-edge  from  end  to 
end,  then  plane  or  file  down  to  this  line,  etc. 

When  the  sticks  are  shaped  and  rounded,  smooth  them 
down  with  fine  sandpaper,  but  be  very  careful  in  this  for 


MAKING,  REPAIRING  AND  CARING  FOR  TACKLE.       211 

sandpaper  cuts  fast  and  you  only  want  to  smooth  the  stick;, 
not  cut  it  down.  It  is  best  to  not  use  the  sandpaper  on  the 
end  until  you  try  the  ferrules.  When  the  ferrules  can  be  put 
on  with  steady  but  rather  heavy  pressure,  put  the  ferrules  on 
and  joint  the  rod  up  and  see  how  one  piece  lines  up  with 
another. 

If  these  are  not  in  perfect  line  you  must  find  where  the 
trouble  is,  and  remove  the  ferrule,  then  by  use  of  the  fine  file, 
take  a  little  off  at  the  right  place  to  relieve  the  strain,  even 
though  it  makes  the  ferrule  fit  loosely.  Then  remove  all 
ferrules,  heat  the  end  of  your  stick  of  ferrule  cement  and 
anoint  the  ends  of  the  sticks,  as  far  down  as  the  ferrules 
will  reach,  then  heat  the  ferrule  and  push  it  on  as  far  as  it 
can  go.  Many  of  the  manufacturers  pin  the  ferrules  in  ad- 
dition to  cementing,  but  I  do  not  think  it  advisable.  The 
cement  will  hold  the  ferrule  securely,  and  in  case  you  ever 
want  to  take  the  ferrule  off,  a  pin  is  a  bad  thing. 

After  the  ferruls  are  fitted,  the  tip  and  the  reel  bands- 
are  fitted  and  placed  on  (the  two  smallest  reel  bands  are  fast- 
ened, but  the  reel  bed  must  be  worked  out  first)  and  then 
the  butt  cap,  after  which,  if  the  rod  has  not  drawn  crooked, 
give  it  a  coat  of  varnish,  but  don't  get  any  varnish  on  the 
metal  parts,  assemble  the  rod  and  hang  it  up  by  the  tip  to 
dry,  but  don't  have  it  near  a  wall.  When  the  varnish  is  dry 
you  can  wrap  it  with  the  silk  thread  and  fasten  the  guides  on 
in  the  same  way.  The  guides  are  placed  at  varying  distances, 
those  nearest  the  tip,  the  smallest,  being  closest  together. 
You  will  have  to  measure  this  off  and  divide  it  up  perfectly 
I  might  do  this  for  you,  but  will  leave  it  for  you  to  do,  for 
I  don't  want  to  make  things  too  easy.  See  that  all  the  guides 
are  in  perfect  line  with  one  another  and  with  the  tip.  Wind 
them  by  either  of  the  methods  of  winding  here  illustrated, 
waxing  the  thread  lightly  with  pure  white  wax,  and  be  sure 
that  you  have  clean  hands,  and  keep  them  clean  until  you 
are  through.  Examine  each  guide  before  you  bind  it  on 


212 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


and  see  that  the  ends  where  the  wrappings  come  are  not 
sharp  edged,  or  they  will  cut  through  the  thread  in  time, 
inen  place  the  narrow  wrappings  between  the  guides,  and 
over  the  ends  of  the  ferrules.  Here  you  will  have  to  measure 
and  space  again,  and  it  is  best  to  make  the  bands  of  wrapping 
closer  and  wider  midway  between  the  guides,  as  this  stiffens 
the  wood  at  these  places,  just  the  same  as  the  guides 
stiffen  it. 

I   don't  think   it   will  be  necessary  to   say   much   about 


Another  way  to  wrap  a  Fishing  Rod. 

these  two  ways  of  wrapping  rods  illustrated  here  as  the 
pictures  show  it  so  plainly.  The  ends  of  the  silk  should  be 
cut  off  very  closely,  but  don't  cut  against  the  rod.  The 
second  method  is  best  for  wide  wrapping  as  the  thread  cannot 
be  drawn  through  under  a  wide  wrapping  if  the  first  method 
is  used,  but  the  first  may  be  used  by  winding  to  $  inch  of 
the  length  of  the  wrapping  before  placing  the  small  loop,  and 
this  is  a  very  good  way. 

After  this  is  finished  go  over  each  wrapping  carefully 
with  the  white  shellac  and  let  this  dry  before  you  do  any- 


MAKING,  REPAIRING  AND  CARING  FOR  TACKLE.       213 

thing  more  with  it.  When  dry,  give  the  entire  rod,  wrap- 
pings and  all,  but  not  the  metal  parts,  another  coat  of  var- 
nish, and  hang  away  to  dry.  A  small  varnish  brush  usually 
accompanies  each  bottle  of  varnish,  but  if  you  don't  get  this 
you  must  buy  a  small  camel's  hair  brush.  This  last  varnish- 
ing finishes  the  rod,  but  another  coat  will  do  no  harm.  Each 
must  be  perfectly  dry  before  applying  another. 

When  you  buy  fishing  rod  wood  it  is  likely  to  be 
warped,  especially  bethaibara.  In  such  cases,  before  you  do 
anything  with  it,  just  drive  a  small  tack  into  the  end,  the 
center,  and  hang  the  stick  up  in  a  room,  and  in  a  few  days 
it  will  be  straight.  If  not,  hang  a  weight  on  the  butt  and 
that  will  straighten  it.  Always  hang  your  rod  up  after  var- 


Construction  of  Separate  Handles. 

nishing  and  let  it  dry  that  way,  and  keep  the  room  as  even  a 
temperature  as  you  can.  Never  hang  the  rod  near  the  wall 
while  the  varnish  is  wet. 

In  case  you  want  to  make  the  butt  piece  of  the  same 
kind  of  wood  as  the  other  joints,  it  is  best  to  have  this  piece 
fitted  into  a  handle  of  lighter  wood.  The  rod  should  be 
cemented  in  and  should  be  seated  about  four  inches  into  the 
handle.  In  such  cases  the  23/4  inch  taper  from  reel  seat  to 
rod  proper  is  omitted  and  a  very  short  taper  is  used.  This 
has  a  German  silver  taper  fitted  over  it,  thus  hiding  the 
joint.  If  you  like  you  can  get  a  solid  metal  reel  seat  (Ger- 
ni?tn  silver)  with  a  tapered  end  which  covers  the  joint  com- 
pletely and  makes  a  very  nice  appearing  rod. 


214  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

In  regard  to  handles,  those  I  described  are  very  good, 
but  they  are  all  inferior  to  the  solid  cork  grip.  These  are 
made  by  reducing  the  size  of  the  handle  to,  say  3/4  inch,  and 
gluing  on  it  rings  of  solid  cork.  You  can  make  a  cork 
handle  a  little  thicker  than  a  wood  handle,  say  1 1/8  inch,  as 
cork  is  lighter  than  wood.  These  cork  rings,  1/4  inch  thick, 
may  be  purchased  at  about  fifteen  cents  per  dozen.  Each 
one  must  be  fastened  to  the  other  with  cement  and  must  be 
dried  under  pressure.  After  the  glue  is  dry  the  cork  may  be 
pared  down  to  shape  with  a  very  sharp  knife,  and  smoothed 
with  sandpaper. 

If  you  want  to  make  a  split  bamboo  rod,  as  I  said  before, 
you  can  get  the  sections  all  glued  up,  in  any  size  you  want, 
and  ready  for  mounting.  These  sticks  will  cost  about 
seventy-five  cents  each.  The  butt  length  must  be  fitted  into 
a  wood  handle  as  described. 

A  fly  rod  would  be  made  in  the  same  way  as  a  bait  rod, 
but  of  course  the  handle  is  somewhat  different  and  the  reel 
seat  is  below  the  handle.  Different  mountings  will  be 
needed,  that  is,  for  the  handle,  but  a  description  of  these 
with  prices,  will  be  found  in  the  catalogs.  Here  are  the 
dimensions  of  a  fly  rod  that  will  suit  the  majority.  Length 
over  all  9£  feet;  length  of  each  joint,  including  ferrule,  39 
inches;  reel  seat  11/16  inch  by  3f  inch;  handle,  cork,  1  inch 
by  5  inches;  taper  from  cork  to  rod,  ^  inch  long;  diameter  of 
first  joint  at  taper,  13/321  inch,  at  small  end,  9/32*  inch; 
diameter  of  second  joint  at  large  end,  9/32  inch;  at  small 
end,  11/64  inch;  diameter  of  tip  at  large  end,  11/64  inch; 
at  small  end,  5/64  inch.  It  should  have  nine  bronzed  steel 
snake  guides  of  three  or  four  sizes  and  a  small  agate  or 
adamant  first  guide  near  the  ferrule  on  the  butt  piece,  also 
an  agate  or  adamant  tip.  This  rod  will  weigh  about  six 
ounces. 

To  get  the  other  dimensions  of  the  stick  make  two  per- 
fectly straight  lines,  say  one-fourth  of  the  length  of  each 


MAKING,  REPAIRING  AND  CARING  FOR  TACKLE.        215 

joint,  putting  them  the  proper  distance  apart  at  each  end, 
and  these  three  sets  of  lines  will  represent  the  three  pieces 
of  the  rod.  Now  divide  each  set  of  lines  into  a  number  of 
equal  length  parts,  say  one  inch,  and  these  parts  will  repre- 
sent corresponding  parts  four  inches  long  on  the  respective 
joints  of  the  rod.  Now,  if  you  take  the  measurements  at 
each  one  of  these  inch  marks,  you  will  have  the  exact 
measurements  for  every  four  inches  of  the  rod  piece;  just 
like  I  did  in  the  diagram  of  the  bait  rod. 


Leader  Knots. 


I  know  a  man  who  made  a  very  nice  twelve-foot,  four- 
piece  rod  of  ironwood.  Ironwood  is  quite  heavy  and  stiff, 
but  he  worked  it  down  to  a  small  diameter.  He  did  a  lot  of 
fishing  for  pike  and  made  this  rod  for  that  use.  I  imagine 
such  a  rod  would  suit  a  lot  of  fishermen  who  are  not  expert 
at  bait-casting.  Short  bait-casting  rods  are  also  made  of 
ironwood  sometimes. 

There  is  much  in  the  way  a  rod  is  handled  and  cared 
for.  I  cannot  say  all  that  might  be  said  on  this  subject,  but 


216  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

can  give  a  few  remarks  on  the  most  important  First,  don't 
throw  your  rod  down,  especially  in  sand  or  on  stones  — it  is 
a  delicate  affair  and  deserves  better  treatment.  Don't  get  the 
rod  wet  oftener  than  necessary.  In  jointing  up,  always  put 
the  tip  and  second  joint  together  first,  then  attach  the  butt. 
Always  take  your  reel  off  the  rod  when  through  fishing  and 
don't  put  it  on  again  until  you  are  ready  to  commence  fishing 
again.  See  that  the  several  pieces  of  the  rod  are  put  to- 
gether with  the  guides  in  perfect  line.  The  ferrules  usually 
have  little  marks  to  show,  but  don't  twist  one  joint  to  bring 
these  in  line  —  remove  it  by  a  straight  pull  and  replace  it 
right.  Always  joint  the  two  pieces  by  a  straight  push  and 
separate  by  a  straight  pull.  When  you  unjoint  the  rod, 
separate  the  tip  and  middle  joint  first.  Wipe  the  ferrules 
with  an  oiled  rag  once  in  a  while  and  they  will  come  apart 
easily  when  you  want  to  dismount  the  rod.  Keep  the  rod 
on  the  form,  generally,  but  in  case  you  find  a  joint  is  warped 
a  little,  assemble  the  rod  and  hang  it  up  by  the  tip  a  few 
days  and  it  will  straighten.  Perhaps  the  ceiling  of  your 
room  is  not  high  enough,  but  if  so,  put  the  middle  joint  and 
tip  together  and  hang  them  up.  A  solid  wood  rod  should  be 
rubbed  lightly  with  vaseline  about  every  six  months,  and  then 
burnished  with  the  palm  of  the  hand  until  it  gets  hot. 
Before  the  fishing  season  commences,  go  all  over  your  rod 
and  examine  the  wrappings,  and  if  they  are  frayed,  rewind 
them.  If  the  varnish  is  looking  bad,  revarnish  it  com- 
pletely. If  the  ferrules  or  tip  are  loose,  heat  them  a  little  with 
a  match  and  you  can  remove  them,  then  cement  and  replace. 

The  reel  also  needs  attention.  Oil  it  once  in  a  while, 
and  if  it  is  used  for  bait-casting  oil  it  every  day  while  in 
use,  using  a  medium  cylinder  oil.  For  other  reels  some  light 
fine  oil  will  be  all  right. 

After  fishing,  always  remove  your  line  from  the  reel  and 
dry  it  thoroughly.  Your  line  will  last  much  longer  if  you  do 
this.  An  enameled  line  is  supposed  to  be  perfectly  water- 


MAKING,  REPAIRING  AND  CARING  FOR  TACKLE.        217 

proof,  but  it  needs  drying  just  the  same,  and  it  is  not  good 
for  the  reel  either  to  put  it  away  with  a  wet  line  on  it.  Too 
much  oil  in  the  reel  may  also  injure  the  line. 

Don't  forget  to  wash  out  your  fish  basket  after  you  get 
home  from  fishing,  and  hang  it  out  to  dry  before  it  is  put 
away.  If  you  don't  wash  the  basket  it  will  have  a  nasty 
odor  when  you  want  to  use  it  again. 

If  a  joint  of  your  rod  sticks  too  tight  you  can  reduce  the 
size  of  the  male  ferrule  by  rubbing  lightly  with  the  finest 
emery  dust,  or  with  pumice  stone,  but  be  very  careful  as 


More  Leader  Knots. 

emery  dust  cuts  German  silver  rapidly.  And  be  sure  that  the 
ferrule  is  really  too  tight  before  you  attempt  this.  Ordinarily 
if  they  are  oiled  slightly  now  and  then  there  will  be  no 
trouble  whatever. 

In  bait  fishing  the  line  is  usually  the  weakest  part  of 
your  tackle,  but  in  fly  fishing  it  is  the  leader  in  which  the 
weakness  lies,  therefore  it  should  be  of  the  finest  quality. 
Many  anglers  prefer  to  make  their  own  leaders.  For  this 
purpose  you  can  buy  the  silkworm  gut  in  bunches  of  100 
strands,  in  any  weight  from  the  lighest  to  the  heaviest.  This 
will  cost  from  fifty  cents  to  two  dollars  a  bunch. 


218  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

The  way  to  make  a  leader  is  to  soak  the  gut  several 
hours,  usually  over  night,  in  clear  water,  then  selecting  a 
number  of  the  most  perfect,  clear,  smooth  and  even-thick- 
ness strands,  tie  them  together,  rejecting  the  bad  ends,  using 
the  heaviest  strand  and  the  heaviest  end  of  it  at  the  line  end ; 
the  next  heaviest  by  its  thickest  end  to  this,  and  so  on  until 
it  is  long  enough  for  your  use.  In  the  illustration  of  knots 
the  first  one  shows  the  way  the  loop  is  tied  in  the  end,  but 
figure  2  shows  a  better  one.  Figure  3  shows  a  way  of  "tying 
the  gut  strands  together  that  was  much  used  at  one  time,  but 


Hook   and   Leader   Tying. 

there  are  other  methods  that  I  think  are  better.  Figure  4, 
for  instance,  shows  a  fine  knot  for  this  purpose.  You  must 
get  the  twists  of  even  length  at  each  end  and  then  draw  the 
knot  tight  by  a  quick  jerk  on  the  two  long  ends.  You  can 
make  your  leader  in  three-foot  sections  with  loops  at  each 
end  and  fasten  them  together  as  in  figure  0.  This  makes  a 
convenient  way  of  attaching  a  dropper  fly,  as  shown.  Or 
you  can  make  the  leader  in  one  length  with  a  loop  tied  on  as 
shown  in  figure  5,  for  attaching  the  extra  fly.  The  best  way 
of  all,  though,  I  think,  for  tying  the  strands  together  and 


MAKING,  REPAIRING  AND  CARING  FOR  TACKLE.       219 

making  a  dropper  fly  loop,  is  shown  in  figures  7,  8  and  9, 
and  figure  10  shows  how  the  dropper  fly  is  looped  on,  by 
running  the  loop  through  the  loop  of  the  fly,  then  the  fly 
through  the  leader  loop,  and  drawing  tight.  This  leader  knot 
is  as  good  as  the  twist  knot  shown  in  figure  4,  and  there  is 
not  so  much  waste,  as  it  may  be  tied  nearer  the  ends.  All 
loose  ends  must  be  trimmed  off  closely  after  the  knots  are 
drawn  perfectly  tight ;  you  can  use  a  pair  of  pliers  for  draw- 
ing up  the  knots,  using  them  on  the  short  end  of  the  gut 
only  and  holding  the  long  piece  in  your  hand.  If  you  were 
to  use  the  pliers  on  the  long  end  you  would  injure  the  gut. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  put  the  leader  to  any  severe  test  after 
it  is  finished  as  this  would  strain  it,  and  if  it  stands  drawing 
the  knots  tight,  and  shows  no  imperfections  in  the  gut,  you 
will  know  that  it  is  strong  without  testing.  Anyway,  if  you 
test  it  once  and  it  stands  a  five-pound  strain,  you  don't  know 
what  it  will  stand  the  next  time,  but  very  likely  it  will  not 
be  so  strong. 

For  attaching  eyed  flies  to  the  leader,  the  latter  should 
have  no  loop  at  the  end  where  the  fly  is  fastened.  There  are 
a  number  of  knots  suitable  for  attaching  flies  and  hooks  but 
figures  12  and  13  show  the  best  ones. 

Figures  14,  15  and  16  show  three  good  ways  of  fastening 
the  leader  to  the  line.  These  are  all  secure,  especially  15  and 
16,  so  you  can  use  safely  whichever  you  choose. 

There  are  many  other  things  regarding  tackle  making 
that  I  would  like  to  speak  of,  but  I  could  only  mention  these 
briefly.  Many  of  you  are  interested  in  nets  of  one  kind  or 
other  but  I  could  not  go  into  details  and  tell  how  to  make 
each  kind  of  net  used  in  fishing,  therefore  I  will  only  tell 
how  to  tie  the  knots  and  how  to  go  about  making  a  net, 
and  you  can  make  any  style  you  choose.  A  landing  net  can 
be  made  very  easily,  and  will  be  good  to  try  it  out  on. 

You  must  make  a  shuttle  or  needle  of  hard  wood,  and 
it  may  be  of  either  of  the  patterns  shown  in  A,  B  and  C. 


220 


SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 


You  must  also  have  a  gauge  stick  like  figure  F,  of  a  width 
equal  to  one  side  of  the  squared  mesh  of  the  net  you  have 
in  mind.  A  one-inch  square  mesh,  which  would  be  two-inch 
stretched  mesh,  would  be  one  inch  on  each  of  its  four  sides 
and  you  would  want  a  gauge  stick  one  inch  wide. 

You  will  need  a  heavy  line  around  the  outside  of  your 


w^*» 

A 


E.        F. 


I 


Net  Knots  and  Needles. 


net,  no  matter  what  kind  you  are  making,  so  you  can 
stretch  up  a  line  a  little  longer  than  need  be  for  the  finished 
article,  then  measure  and  see  how  many  meshes  will  be  re- 
quired for  the  length.  For  instance,  if  your  landing  net 
frame  measures  thirty  inches  in  circumference,  and  you  want 
to  make  a  one-inch  square  mesh,  there  will  be  thirty  meshes 


MAKING,  REPAIRING  AND  CARING  FOR  TACKLE.       221 

required.  This  stage  and  the  way  the  first  round  of  meshes 
is  made  is  shown  in  figure  G.  The  next  row  fastens  in  these 
loops.  Figure  D  shows  the  common  square  knot,  but  this  is 
not  the  Lest,  as  it  will  slip  if  there  is  much  strain  on  it;  E 
shows  a  better  one.  Figure  H  shows  the  way  the  net  is  tied 
along  from  mesh  to  mesh.  A  landing  net  can  be  knit  right 
on  the  frame  and  you  can  tie  around  and  around,  until  you 
get  it  deep  enough,  then  tie  the  bottom  shut  square,  like  a 


double  Itnyth 
mesh 


Tying  the  Net,   snd  Use  of  Gauge   Stick. 

bag.  In  knitting  back  and  forth  on  a  long  flat  net,  like  a 
seine  or  a  gill  net,  tie  one  row  of  meshes  from  one  side  and 
the  return  row  from  the  other  side.  Any  kind  of  net  can  be 
made  in  this  way. 

There  are  many  other  things  that  an  angler  can  make; 
he  can  make  his  own  tackle  box,  his  own  flies,  sinkers,  gaff 
hook,  and  even  spoon  baits  or  plug  baits.  But  I  must  leave 
these  for  the  energetic  ones  to  figure  out  for  themselves  — 
and  the  others  will  need  no  instructions. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

General  Information  and  Advice. 

N  writing  the  preceding  chapters  I  omitted 
a  number  of  little  things  that  I  meant  to 
mention,  and  there  are  others  that  do  not 
come  under  the  caption  of  either  of  those 
chapters,  so  I  will  collect  them  all  under 
the  heading  above.  This  advice,  like  all 
that  given  throughout  this  book,  is  parted 
with  freely,  for  there  is  nothing  else  which 
I  take  so  much  pleasure  in  the  giving  of,  as  advice,  but,  while 
it  may  appear  that  I  am  talking  like  an  authority  on  these 
subjects,  it  should  be  understood  that  this  is  only  my  way  of 
saying  things  and  my  advice  should  not  be  taken  too  seriously 
without  investigating  elsewhere.  But  there  are  some  few 
things  on  which  nearly  all  anglers  agree,  and  I  will  try  to 
not  have  my  advice  conflict  greatly  with  that  of  other  writers 
on  angling  subjects. 

Throughout  this  work  when  speaking  of  fishing  tackle, 
it  will  be  noted  that  I  have  recommended  the  higher  priced 
goods  frequently,  and  this  is  one  of  the  subjects  on  which 
all  will  agree,  that  the  highest  quality  is  the  cheapest  in  the 
end.  One  may  economize  in  almost  anything  else  with  less 
bad  effect  than  to  practice  economy  in  buying  fishing  tackle. 
Of  course  there  is  a  limit  where  real  worth  stops  and  fancy 
finish  and  expensive  handwork  begins,  just  as  there  is  a 
limit  in  the  other  direction,  and  I  do  not  advise  going  beyond 
this  limit  unless  you  can  well  afford  it.  For  instance,  you 
can  get  a  first-class  casting  reel  at  from  five  to  ten  dollars, 
one  that  will  last  a  lifetime,  but  if  you  get  a  cheaper  one  it 

222 


A  Catch  of  Croppies    (Strawberry  Bass  or  Calico  Bass)    from 

Huffman  Lake,  Indiana. 

223 


224  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

may  be  that  it  would  wear  out  in  five  years  of  use,  or  it 
might  not  give  the  general  satisfaction  of  the  more  costly 
article.  Again  you  can  get  a  casting  reel  for  fifty  dollars, 
that  is  a  thing  of  beauty,  and  will  last  several  lifetimes  —  a 
reel  that  you  will  take  pride  in,  yet  there  is  a  difference  of 
forty  or  forty-five  dollars  between  this  and  the  standard, 
medium  priced  reel.  Now,  it  is  for  you  to  decide  whether  you 
should  pay  this  high  price,  for  to  the  average  fisherman  there 
would  not  be  that  much  difference  in  the  actual  worth  of  the 
two.  If  I  were  a  wealthy  man  and  were  buying  a  fishing  outfit, 
I  would  buy  the  very  best,  but  as  it  is  I  must  be  content  with 
less  costly  goods.  However,  I  will  buy  the  best  that  I  can 
afford  and  try  to  be  content. 

Now  it  is  the  same  way  in  regard  to  rods  —  you  may 
pay  a  high  price  for  a  name,  a  fine  finish,  and  the  knowledge 
that  the  rod  was  made  by  hand,  for  many  of  us  cannot  tell 
handwork  from  machine  work  in  any  way  except  by  the 
price.  Say  for  instance  we  buy  a  fine  handmade  split  bam- 
boo rod,  made  of  the  most  carefully  selected  stock,  one  that 
bends  perfectly,  has  just  the  right  action,  and  all  that,  and 
we  lay  out  twenty-five  or  thirty  hard  earned  dollars  for  it ; 
the  chances  are  that  we  have  paid  more  than  the  rod  is 
worth  to  us,  perhaps  more  than  its  intrinsic  value,  and  cer 
tainly  more  than  a  poor  man  should  put  into  a  rod.  One 
costing  eight  dollars  (these  figures  as  well  as  others  given 
are  only  approximate  and  for  purpose  of  illustrating)  would 
have  done  just  as  well  for  actual  fishing,  and  unless  we  are 
rod  critics  we  would  never  find  anything  wrong  with  it.  It 
would  cast  perfectly,  for  fishing  purposes  at  least,  would 
balance  nicely,  and  to  all  purposes  would  be  firstrdass.  But, 
then,  if  we  go  too  low  we  get  something  that  it  is  not  policy 
to  buy,  a  rod  with  the  strips  sawed  out  and  not  selected;  as 
a  result  the  grain  runs  across  the  stick  in  many  places;  the 
wood  is  female  bamboo,  always  inferior  to  the  male  stock; 
there  will  be  knots  close  together  on  two  or  three  strips,  in 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  AND  ADVICE.  225 

places ;  the  ferruls  are  of  the  cheap  kind,  light  and  nickel 
plated;  the  joints  do  not  line  up  well;  one  joint  bends  too 
much  for  another;  it  is  poorly  wrapped;  and  other  faults  will 
appear  if  we  look  far  enough.  Perhaps  this  rod  has  only 
cost  two  dollars,  but  it  is  not  cheap  at  that  price.  The  idea 
is  that  good  work  and  good  materials  are  bound  to  cost  a 
certain  amount  more  than  poor  work  and  poor  quality  goods 
The  best,  not  necessarily  the  best  finished,  is  always  cheapest 
in  the  long  run,  but  the  cheapest  is  never  the  best,  either  in 
start  or  finish,  and  both  start  and  finish  are  usually  close 
together.  Now  nobody  hesitates  to  buy  a  repeating  rifle  for 
hunting  big  game  for  a  few  weeks  in  the  fall,  paying  say 
fifteen  or  twenty  dollars,  perhaps  more,  for  it.  In  addition  he 
has  to  frequently  pay  for  a  license  for  hunting,  which  i9 
seldom  required  of  resident  anglers,  and  even  non-residents 
are  not  charged  as  much  for  a  fishing  license  as  for  a  license 
to  hunt  big  game.  Yet  he  cheerfully  pays  this  sum  for  his 
little  hunt  each  fall,  sometimes  only  every  second  season,  and 
yet  he  hesitates  to  put  fifteen  or  twenty  dollars  into  a«  fishing 
outfit  that  can  be  used  on  any  available  occasion  during  the 
entire  spring,  summer,  and  fall,  a  fishing  kit  that  will  give  you 
more  real  sport  and  more  for  the  money  invested  than  any 
big  game  hunting  outfit.  Again  you  will  pay  even  more  than 
this  for  a  shotgun,  and  don't  expect  to  get  a  reasonably 
satisfactory  shotgun  for  much  less  than  twenty  dollars,  yet 
you  hesitate  to  pay  half  that  amount  for  a  fishing  rod.  1 
think  this  inconsistency  can  be  explained  by  the  fact  that 
there  are  so  many  cheap  rods  and  reels  offered  for  sale  that 
those  who  have  not  studied  the  subject  imagine  that  they  can 
get  a  first-class  article  for  a  very  low  price,  and  also  by  the 
fact  that  many  do  not  know  what  a  good  rod  should  be. 

But  regardless  of  what  I  have  said  here,  there  are  very 
many  to  whom  the  initial  outlay  is  something  that  simply 
must  be  considered,  and  they  cannot  go  above  a  certain 

15 


226  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

price.  To  such  my  advice  is:  get  the  best  you  can  for  the 
money  and  be  content.  If  you  cannot  put  more  than  two  or 
three  dollars  into  a  rod,  get  a  solid  wood  rod  and  if  it  is 
bought  from  a  reliable  dealer,  you  will  have  a  good  article, 
better  than  a  cheap  split  bamboo,  and  something  that  you 
need  not  be  ashamed  of,  either.  If  you  take  good  care  of  it 
it  will  last  many  years,  perhaps  more  years  than  you  will  be 
able  to  fish.  If  you  cannot  put  more  than  a  dollar  and  a 
half  into  a  fly  reel,  you  can  get  a  really  good  one  for  that 
price,  and  if  you  want  a  multiplier  you  can  get  a  good  one, 
not  a  fancy  one,  understand,  for  two  or  three  dollars.  And 
then  if  you  have  never  done  much  fishing,  I  advise  that  you 
purchase  only  a  cheap  outfit  to  use  for  a  year  or  two,  until 
you  learn  to  use  it  properly  and  to  take  care  of  it.  By  the 
end  of  that  time  you  will  not  need  my  advice,  for  you  will 
know  exactly  what  you  want.  But  buy  what  you  can  afford 
for  you  will  not  be  happy  in  using  an  outfit  that  cost  more 
than  you  could  well  afford  to  pay. 

Another  thing  regarding  the  use  of  high  priced  versus 
low  priced  goods,  though  not  exactly  under  that  heading,  is 
your  way  of  looking  on  and  criticizing  your  companion's 
outfit.  Though  your  own  may  have  cost  ten  times  as  much 
as  that  of  your  companion,  don't  spoil  his  pleasure  by 
speaking  lightly  of  it,  or  don't  in  any  other  way  let  him 
know  that  you  consider  it  inferior  to  yours.  Better  by  far 
speak  favorably  of  it,  even  though  it  does  not  so  impress 
you,  but  you  can  surely  see  some  good  points  in  it,  and  you 
will  make  him  feel  better  by  mentioning  them.  Let  him 
discover  the  faults  himself;  it  will  be  more  impressive  and 
he  will  like  you  better. 

Another  thing  regarding  your  conduct  when  fishing  in 
company  of  others  that  is  good  to  remember  is  that  it  is 
not  a  good  idea  to  stand  and  watch  a  man  play  a  fish 
and  tell  him  to  do  this  and  do  that,  and  then  if  he  loses  it, 
tell  him  that  if  he  had  done  so  and  so  he  would  not  have 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  AND  ADVICE.  22? 

lost  the  fish.  It  won't  do  you  any  good,  and  he  will  not  learn 
any  more  quickly  than  if  you  had  waited  for  a  favorable 
opportunity  to  tell  how  you  captured  one  of  the  big  fellows 
in  the  past  and  how,  by  a  certain  move  (the  one  that  he 
failed  to  use)  you  succeeded  in  landing  him,  making  this 
point  entirely  responsible  for  your  success  in  taking  the 
fish,  and  how  you  have  remembered  and  used  that  method 
ever  since.  He  will  think  it  over  and  will  see  that  this  is 
just  where  he  failed,  and  he  will  profit  by  your  little 
story  and  no  harm  done. 

Always  have  respect  for  the  views  of  your  companion. 
Although  you  may  have  had  as  much  experience  as  he,  or 
even  more,  that  is  no  reason  why  you  should  think  him 
wrong.  Remember  that  anglers  often  see  things  differently, 
and  sometimes  the  point  at  issue  is  of  no  importance  as  is 
proven  by  the  fact  that  though  your  ideas  on  the  subject 
differ,  your  catch  of  fish  is  the  same.  And  even  with  your 
greater  experience  your  friend  may  have  learned  something 
that  you  have  overlooked  for  years. 

A  true  sportsman  does  not  like  to  see  his  catch  suffering 
a  slow  death,  and  hesitates  at  anything  else  that  appears 
cruel.  He  kills  the  captured  fish  at  once  and  this  is  the 
more  humane  way.  There  is  another  reason  why  you  should 
kill  the  fish  as  soon  as  they  are  caught  —  they  are  better  for 
food  purposes.  A  large  fish  is  instantly  killed  by  a  sharp 
blow  on  the  back  of  the  head,  well  behind  the  eyes.  Large 
hard-headed  fish  like  muskellunge  and  pike  should  be  shot. 

It  is  a  very  good  idea  also  to  keep  well  informed  on  the 
laws  regarding  fishing,  and  see  that  you  do  not  break  any 
of  them,  thus  keeping  out  of  trouble  and  setting  a  good 
example  for  others.  In  most  states  it  is  unlawful  to  keep 
game  fish  under  a  given  size,  and  you  should  remove  these 
with  as  little  injury  as  possible  and  return  them  to  the 
water.  Even  if  there  is  no  such  law  in  your  state  it  is  better 
to  return  the  small  ones.  If  all  anglers  would  observe  this 


228  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

rule  there  would  be  more  large  fish  to  catch  and  better  sport 
for  all. 

There  is  always  much  talk  among  fishermen  about  "the 
big  one  that  got  away,"  so  much  indeed  that  the  man  who 
tells  of  losing  a  big  fish  is  invariably  put  down  as  a  pre- 
varicator. But  it  is  true  nevertheless  that  it  is  the  big  fish 
that  are  lost,  if  I  may  use  the  word  that  way,  for,  as  "Father" 
Izaak^  said,  we  can't  lost  what  we  haven't  got.  The  big 
fish  is  harder  to  hold  simply  because  he  is  big  and  strong 
and  the  tackle  that  will  easily  bring  to  hand  a  dozen  smaller 
fish,  may  give  way  to  the  lunges  of  the  big  fellow.  So 
you  see  it  really  is  the  big  fish  that  gets  away.  But  if 
anglers  in  general  would  realize  that  it  is  the  successful  land- 
ing of  the  fish  rather  than  luring  it  into  taking  the  hook, 
that  is  the  real  test  of  a  good  angler,  there  would  be  fewer 
of  these  tales.  It  is  possible  to  land  a  very  large  fish  with 
very  light  tackle,  if  it  is  rightly  handled. 

Before  you  start  fishing  look  carefully  over  your  tackle 
and  see  that  you  have  not  forgotten  something.  Be  sure  you 
take  your  lunch,  but  none  of  the  "bottled  stuff".  If  you 
smoke,  don't  forget  your  pipe  and  tobacco,  as  well  as  matches, 
for  you  will  not  enjoy  your  fishing  so  much  if  you  forget 
these.  If  you  have  time  look  over  your  clothing  and  see 
that  there  are  no  buttons  missing,  and  no  holes  in  your 
pockets.  Take  your  pocket  knife,  also  some  string,  and 
examine  your  boots  if  you  are  going  to  wade,  to  see  that 
they  don't  leak.  These  may  seem  like  unimportant  details, 
but  really  they  count  a  great  deal. 

The  nice  appearance  of  your  fish  when  you  reach  home 
and  display  your  catch  proudly  to  the  members  of  the  family 
will  depend  on  the  way  you  care  for  them  after  catching. 
The  fish  should  be  kept  cool  and  moist,  but  you  should 
not  wet  them  after  they  are  taken  from  the  water  and 
placed  in  the  creel.  The  secret  of  it  all  is  in  so  fixing  the 
fish  that  they  will  retain  the  moisture  on  their  bodies,  and 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  AND  ADVICE.  229 

to  do  this  there  is  nothing  better  that  I  know  of  than  the 
long  dark  moss  growing  on  the  bottom  of  swift  mountain 
streams,  washed  free  of  sand,  wrung  as  dry  as  possible  and 
put  in  the  basket  in  such  a  way  that  it  forms  a  thick  lining. 
Lay  the  fish  in  this  nice  and  straight,  all  on  their  backs, 
and  put  a  layer  of  the  moss  over  them.  You  can  carry  them 
all  day  and  when  you  get  home  and  open  up  the  basket  you 
will  find  the  fish  firm,  cool  and  moist,  with  their  pretty 
colors  unmarred.  I  have  been  thinking  of  trout  fishing  when 
writing  this  and  I  realize  that  the  greatest  number  of  fisher- 
men fish  where  this  moss  cannot  be  found.  As  a  substitute, 
equally  good,  use  large  green  dock  leaves,  a  good  thick  lining 
and  they  will  answer  the  same  purpose.  Don't  use  grass  or 
fern  if  you  can  get  either  of  these  others,  as  these  spoil 
the  appearance  of  the  fish.  If  you  are  on  a  trip  of  several 
days'  duration  you  should  dress  your  catch  as  soon  as 
possible  after  catching  and  pack  them  in  cool,  damp  moss, 
back  down. 


CHAPTER.  XXI. 

Commercial  Fishing. 

ISHING  for  market,  or  commercial  fishing  is  a 
vast  industry  in  the  United  States,  so  large  that 
many  readers  of  this  book  will  look  with  amaze- 
ment at  some  of  the  data  given  in  this  chapter. 
The  entire  country  is  divided  into  five  main 
divisions  as  follows :  Atlantic  Coast,  Gulf  of  Mexico,  Pacific 
Coast,  Great  Lakes  and  the  Mississippi  River  and  its  trib- 
utaries. 

The  fisheries  of  the  Atlantic  Coast  division  employed 
94,281  persons,  and  a  capital  investment  of  over  $25,000,000, 
with  a  value  ol  fish  products  caught  in  one  year  amounting 
to  $35,475,000.  The  Gulf  of  Mexico  division  employed  15,481 
persons,  with  a  catch  valued  at  $4,885,000.  The  Pacific  Coast 
division  employed  19,855  persons,  with  a  catch  valued  at 
$6,839,000.  The  Mississippi  River  division  with  11,731  persons 
employed  and  a  catch  valued  at  $3,125,000.  The  Great  Lakes 
division  with  8,533  persons  employed  and  a  catch  valued 
at  $3,767,000. 

Of  the  total  number  of  persons  engaged  in  the  fishing 
industry  of  the  United  States  in  1908,  25  per  cent,  were 
employed  on  fishing  and  transporting  vessels,  73  per  cent,  in 
the  shore  and  boat  fisheries,  and  2  per  cent,  as  shoresmen, 
directly  connected  with  the  catching  of  fish.  In  addition  to 
the  foregoing  there  were  2,952  proprietors,  not  engaged  in 
fishing. 

The  Atlantic  Coast  division  was  by  far  the  most  im- 
portant in  the  United  States,  giving  occupation  to  66  per 
cent,  of  all  the  persons  engaged  in  fishing,  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 

230 


COMMERCIAL  FISHING.  231 

division  next,  where  11  per  cent,  of  the  total  number  were 
employed.  The  Pacific  Coast  division,  and  the  Great  Lakes 
division  follow  in  the  order  named. 

Some  inland  fishermen  work  for  wages,  with  apparatus 
and  board  furnished;  others  are  paid  by  the  bushel,  01 
according  to  the  weight  of  their  catch.  In  some  coast  fisher- 
ies men  are  given  $25  a  month  and  board  while  employed, 
the  value  of  the  board  calculated  at  $10  a  month. 

Nearly  seven-eighths  of  the  value  of  fishery  products  of 
the  United  States  are  represented  by  30  kinds  of  products. 
The  products  here  considered  are  the  following: 

Alewives.  Halibut,  Pike-perches, 

Bluefish,  Herring,  Pollack, 

Carp,  Lake   herring,  Salmon, 

Catfish,  Lake  trout,  Shad, 

Clams,  Lobster,  Shrimp  and  prawn, 

Cod,  Mackerel,  Snappers, 

Crabs,  Menhaden,  Sponges, 

Flounders,  Mullets,  Squeteague, 

Haddock,  Mussels,  Sturgeons, 

Hake,  Oysters,  Whale  products, 

Whitefish. 

ALEWIVES  — One  species  of  this  fish  is  found  in  waters 
adjacent  to  the  Atlantic  ocean,  and  never  found  south  of 
the  Neuse  River  in  North  Carolina.  It  is  known  along 
the  Potomac  as  "branch  herring",  on  Albemarle  Sound  as 
the  "big-eyed  herring"  and  the  "wall-eyed  herring",  in  New 
England  as  "Alewife,"  and  on  the  Connecticut  River  as 
"ellwife"  and  "ellwhop."  It  appears  in  the  rivers  three  or 
four  weeks  earlier  than  the  "glut  herring"  and  the  shad. 
The  other  species  of  alewife  is  found  from  the  Carolinas 
to  the  Coast  of  Maine.  It  is  known  in  Chesapeake  Bay 
and  Albemarle  Sound  as  "glut  herring,"  in  the  Ogeechee 
River  as  "English  herring",  in  the  St.  Johns  River  as  "her- 


232  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

ring",  and  in  Massachusetts  and  during  the  later  runs  la 
the  Rappahannock  as  the  "blueback."  This  species  is  less 
abundant  and  less  valuable  as  a  food  fish  than  the  former. 
Both  species  average  about  a  half  pound  in  weight  and 
from  8  to  10  inches  in  length.  They  are  caught  in  nets, 
seines,  weirs,  etc.,  and  besides  being  of  great  importance  as 
food  fish,  are  also  used  for  bait.  The  name  "alewife"  is 
applied  to  the  menhaden  in  Delaware,  Maryland  and  Virginia, 
The  value  of  the  alewife  catch  in  1908  was  $580,000. 

BLUEFISH — 'This  fish  is  found  on  the  Atlantic  and  the 
Gulf  coasts.  On  the  coasts  of  the  New  England  and  Middle 
States  it  is  generally  called  "bluefish";  in  Rhode  Island, 
"horse  mackerel";  south  of  Cape  Hatteras,  "skip-jack";  in 
North  Carolina,  Virginia  and  Maryland,  "tailor"  and  "green- 
fish" ;  and  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  "bluefish."  The  bluefish 
varies  in  weight  from  1  to  20  pounds,  according  to  the  season 
and  locality,  and  large  numbers  are  caught  during  the  summer 
months  with  nets,  traps,  seines  and  hand  lines.  The  name 
"bluefish"  is  also  improperly  applied  to  the  squeteague  from 
southern  New  Jersey  to  Virginia,  to  the  black  sea  bass  at 
Newport  and  New  Bedford,  to  the  "greenfish"  on  the  Califor- 
nia coast  south  of  Monterey,  and  the  "bonito"  in  the  markets. 
The  value  of  the  bluefish  catch  in  1908  was  $506,000. 

BUFFALO  FISH  —  Under  this  general  name  are  included 
three  species,  red  or  big-mouthed  buffalo,  black  or  mongrel 
buffalo,  and  small-mouthed  or  white  buffalo.  The  fresh-water 
suckers,  to  which  the  name  "buffalo  carp"  is  sometimes  erro- 
neously applied,  are  found  in  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi 
Valley.  They  frequently  weigh  from  30  to  40  pounds  and 
are  caught  with  nets  and  hand  lines.  The  value  of  the 
catch  yearly  averages  half  a  million  dollars. 

CARP  —  This  fish,  known  as  "German  carp",  is  a  fresh- 
water food  fish  of  great  interest  to  fish  culturists,  and  is 
found  in  ponds  and  streams  in  nearly  every  state  in  the 
Union.  As  a  result  of  domestication  several  varieties  have 


COMMERCIAL  FISHING.  233 

arisen  of  which  the  principal  ones  are  the  "scale  carp",  heavily 
scaled;  the  "mirror  carp",  with  a  few  series  of  very  large 
scales;  and  the  "leather  carp",  which  is  scaleless.  The  size 
of  the  carp  varies  with  the  temperature  and  clearness  of  the 
water,  the  kind  of  bottom,  the  abundance  and  nature  of  the 
food  supply,  and  in  general  with  the  conditions  under  which 
it  lives.  These  fish  live  to  a  great  age,  and  sometimes  attain 
a  weight  of  more  than  40  pounds.  The  carp  naturally  thrives 
best  in  lakes,  ponds  and  sluggish  streams,  seeking  quiet  or 
stagnant  waters.  It  spawns  about  June.  It  feed  largely  on 
vegetable  matter,  insects  and  their  larvae,  found  on  aquatic 
vegetation,  forming  its  principal  animal  food.  It  will,  how- 
ever, eat  practically  anything  it  can  get  into  its  mouth, 
rooting  about  in  the  mud  much  in  the  way  of  a  pig. 

The  German  carp  product  in  1908  amounted  to  42,763,000 
pounds,  valued  at  $1,135,000.  Of  38  states  having  fisheries  of 
a  commercial  nature,  31  reported  German  carp.  The  catch  of 
Illinois,  most  of  which  was  from  the  Illinois  River,  exceeded 
that  of  all  other  states  combined.  Although  carp  is  caught 
to  some  extent  throughout  the  year,  the  largest  part  of  the 
fishing  is  done  in  spring  and  summer.  A  variety  of  appara- 
tus is  used  in  taking  carp,  but  the  bulk  of  the  catch  is  made 
with  seines,  fyke  and  hoop  nets,  and  trammel  nets. 

CATFISH  —  The  American  species  include  the  sea  cat- 
fishes  of  the  Atlantic  coast,  the  channel  cats  of  all  the  rivers 
east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  horned  pout,  which  is 
widely  distributed  through  the  brooks  and  ponds  of  the  states, 
and  the  diminutive  mad-toms.  The  different  varieties  are 
distinguished  by  the  common  names  of  "channel  cat",  "blue 
cat",  "Mississippi  cat",  "mud  cat",  "flannel  mouth",  "horned 
pout",  "bullhead",  "minister",  "goujon",  "bashaw",  "gaff- 
topsail",  etc.  They  vary  in  length  from  1  to  5  feet  and  in 
weight  from  2  to  150  pounds,  are  caught  by  means  of  nets, 
traps,  hand  lines,  and  by  jugging,  and  are  used  extensively 
for  food.  Catfish  are  taken  in  nearly  all  waters  of  the 


234  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

United  States,  the  majority  coming  from  the  Mississippi  River 
and  its  tributaries.  In  a  canvass  of  38  states  all,  with  the 
exception  of  four  New  England  states,  reported  this  fish. 
The  catches  reported  from  Louisiana  and  Illinois  greatly 
exceeded  those  from  other  states. 

CLAMS  —  This  term  includes  the  hard  clam,  quahaug,  or 
round  clam;  soft  or  long  clam;  razor  clam  or  razor  fish; 
surf,  sea  or  hen  clam,  and  various  other  species.  Clams  are 
bivalve  mollusks  largely  used  for  food  and  bait,  and  are 
found  on  all  our  coasts.  The  clam  product  of  the  United 
States  is  valued  at  about  $2,000,000  annually.  While  the 
quantity  of  the  hard-shell  variety  but  little  exceed  that  of 
the  soft-shell,  the  value  of  the  former  is  about  two  and  a  half 
times  that  of  tl^  latter. 

Razor  clams  are  reported  from  Washington  and  Massa- 
chusetts, and  surf  clams  from  New  York  and  New  Jersey. 
Hard  clams  are  reported  from  all  the  Pacific  coast  states, 
from  Florida  and  Louisiana  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and 
from  all  the  Atlantic  coast  states  except  Maine  and  New 
Hampshire.  The  entire  soft-clam  product  with  the  exception 
of  a  small  per  cent,  of  the  total,  taken  in  California  and 
Oregon,  is  taken  from  the  North  Atlantic  Coast,  none  being 
reported  south  of  New  Jersey.  The  clams  are  taken  with 
tongs,  dredges  and  similar  apparatus. 

COD  —  The  cod  is  caught  most  extensively  along  the 
coast  of  the  Middle  States,  New  England,  and  British  Amer- 
ica, and  is  not  taken  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean  south  of  New 
Jersey.  It  is  most  plentiful  on  the  Grand  Banks  and  off 
the  coast  of  Newfoundland  and  New  England.  The  weight 
varies  from  3  to  75  pounds.  The  Alaska  cod  is  found  in 
the  Pacific  Ocean  from  Behring  sea  to  Oregon.  On  account 
of  the  length  of  the  trips  made  by  vessels  in  the  Pacific 
coast  fisheries,  often  extending  over  a  period  of  several 
months,  the  fish  taken  are  salted  on  the  vessels.  Massa- 
chusetts and  Maine  furnish  the  salted  cod  from  the  Atlantic 


235 


236  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

Coast.  The  amount  salted  in  these  two  states  is  decreasing 
from  year  to  year  while  the  amount  marketed  in  a  fresh 
condition  is  increasing.  As  the  cod  feeds  on  the  bottom  they 
are  taken  with  trawls  and  hand  lines,  though  some  are  taken 
in  pound  nets  and  gill  nets. 

CRABS  —  Crabs  are  found  along  all  the  coasts  of  the 
United  States.  The  different  species  vary  much  in  size,  habit 
and  use.  The  common  edible  crab  has  names  applied  by 
catchers  describing  the  different  conditions  of  the  shell. 
While  shedding  they  are  known  as  "comer",  "buster", 
"peeler",  and  "shedder";  while  growing  a  new  shell,  as 
"soft-shell",  "paper-shell",  and  "buckler".  Crabs  are  used 
for  food,  bait  and  fertilizer.  King  crabs  are  sold  for  the 
latter  purpose.  All  King  crabs  are  taken  from  the  Atlantic 
Ocean,  along  the  Middle  Atlantic  states,  most  of  them  from 
New  Jersey.  The  most  common  method  of  taking  hard 
crabs  is  with  meat-baited  lines,  hand  or  set,  and  a  dip  net 
in  which  the  crab  is  caught  when  hauled  to  the  surface. 
Two-thirds  of  the  soft-crab  catch  is  taken  with  dredges. 
King  crabs  were  formerly  all  caught  by  hand,  but  the  great 
bulk  are  now  taken  in  pound  nets. 

FLOUNDERS  —  The  name  flounder  is  variously  applied  to 
the  flat  fishes  found  on  all  the  coasts  of  the  United  States, 
and  known  as  "American  sole",  "Monterey  halibut",  "winter 
flounder",  "long-finned  sole",  "sand  dab",  etc.  They  vary  in 
size  and  shape  and  are  sold  for  both  food  and  bait.  The 
catch  is  taken  in  weirs,  nets,  beam  trawls  and  seines,  and 
with  hand  lines  and  gaffs. 

HADDOCK  —  The  haddock  is  a  food  fish  found  in  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  north  of  the  Delaware  Capes;  it  is  called 
"dickie"  in  some  localities.  The  average  weight  is  from  4  to 
6  pounds.  It  is  extensively  used  as  a  fresh  food  fish,  and 
is  also  salted,  pickeled  and  dried.  The  haddock  is  taken 
mostly  with  lines,  but  also  with  pound  nets,  trap  nets  and  gill 
nets. 


COMMERCIAL  FISHING.  237 

HAKE  — The  species  included  under  this  head  are  not  true 
hakes,  but  comprise  different  varieties  of  food  fish  found 
off  the  Atlantic  Coast  from  Newfoundland  to  Cape  Hatteras, 
which  are  variously  known  as  "Old  England  hake",  "squirrel 
hake",  "ling",  "codling",  etc.  The  average  length  is  from 
1£  to  2  feet  and  the  average  weight  from  3  to  8  pounds. 
The  catch  is  taken  principally  with  lines. 

HALIBUT  —  The  halibut,  the  largest  and  most  valuable 
of  the  flat  fishes,  is  found  in  the  North  Atlantic  and  Pacific 
Oceans.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  species  used  for  food, 
sometimes  weighing  over  300  pounds,  but  the  average  weight 
is  from  50  to  75  pounds.  Small,  young  fish,  weighing  from 
10  to  20  pounds,  are  called  "chickens",  and  are  much  sought 
after  by  epicureans.  Most  of  the  Pacific  Coast  catch  comes 
from  the  fisheries  of  Washington.  Most  of  the  catch  is  made 
with  lines,  while  some  of  the  catch  is  taken  with  trawls. 

HERRING  —  The  herring  is  a  very  important  food  fish 
found  in  the  North  Atlantic  as  far  south  as  Sandy  Hook; 
it  is  never  found  in  brackish  or  fresh  waters.  Herring  weigh 
from  one-half  to  one  pound  and  average  in  length  about  10 
inches.  As  a  food  fish  they  are  used  fresh,  salted,  pickled, 
smoked  and  canned.  They  are  also  used  extensively  for  bait 
in  the  cod,  haddock,  halibut  and  hake  fisheries.  A  large 
number  of  vessels  engage  in  the  winter  herring  fishery  off 
the  west  coast  of  Newfoundland.  The  greater  part  of  the 
catch  is  taken  with  pound  nets,  trap  nets  and  weirs. 

LAKE  HERRING  —  The  ciscoes,  or  lake  herrings,  are  mem- 
bers of  the  whitefish  family  found  in  the  Great  Lakes  and 
neighboring  waters.  They  are  caught  with  gill  nets,  pound 
and  trap  nets. 

LAKE  TROUT  —  The  common  lake  trout  is  found  in  the 
Great  Lakes  and  in  the  smaller  lakes  of  the  Northern  States. 
In  different  localities  these  fish  vary  greatly  in  color,  size  and 
shape,  arid  are  known  by  the  local  names  "salmon  trout", 
"lake  salmon",  "black  trout",  "reef  trout",  "longe",  etc.  The 


238  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

"siscowet"  is  another  species  of  lake  trout.  It  is  found 
principally  in  Lake  Superior.  Next  to  lake  herring,  lake 
trout  is  the  most  valuable  species  taken  in  the  Great  Lakes. 
The  bulk  of  the  lake  trout  catch  is  taken  with  gill  nets, 
others  with  lines,  pound  and  trap  nets. 

LOBSTER — -The  lobster,  a  crustacean  of  great  economic 
importance,  is  found  on  the  Atlantic  Coast  from  Delaware  to 
Labrador.  It  averages  about  11  inches  in  length  and  about  2 
pounds  in  weight,  but  the  size  varies  with  localities  and 
seasons.  It  is  caught  in  pots  and  traps  especially  con- 
structed for  the  purpose. 

MACKEREL  —  The  mackerel  is  found  in  the  North  Atlantic 
south  as  far  as  Cape  Hatteras.  It  ranges  from  '9  to  18 
inches  in  length  and  from  one-half  to  3  pounds  in  weight, 
and  is  caught  in  purse  seines,  pound  nets,  weirs,  gill  nets,  etc., 
and  with  hook  and  line. 

MENHADEN  —  The  menhaden  is  a  fish  of  the  herring 
family,  found  along  the  Atlantic  seaboard  from  Maine  to 
Florida.  It  is  known  by  a  great  many  local  names,  some 
of  them  being  "pogy",  "hard-head",  "bony  fish",  "-bunker", 
"cheboy",  "alewife,"  "oldwife",  "fat-back",  "shiner",  etc. 
The  average  weight  of  the  menhaden  is  from  two-thirds  of  a 
pound  to  one  pound.  They  are  caught  in  purse  seines,  gill 
nets,  set  nets,  and  weirs.  Their  economic  importance  is  due 
mainly  to  the  oil  and  guano  which  are  produced  from  them ; 
they  are  also  used  as  bait  for  mackerel,  cod,  halibut,  haddock 
and  sea  bass.  The  menhaden  is  the  most  abundant  fish 
found  anywhere  in  the  waters  of  the  United  States  and  forms 
one  of  the  principal  fishery  products.  Menhaden  approach 
the  coast  waters  upon  the  advent  of  warm  weather  and 
remain  until  the  water  cools.  They  are  seen  as  early  as 
March  in  Chesapeake  Bay,  but  not  until  much  later  in  the 
northern  waters.  Purse  and  haul  seines  are  the  principal 
forms  of  apparatus  of  capture;  pound  nets,  gill  nets  and 
trap  nets  are  also  used. 


COMMERCIAL  FISHING.  239 

MUSSELS  — The  black,  thin-shelled,  salt-water  mussel 
is  found  on  the  Atlantic  coast  as  far  south  as  North  Caro- 
lina and  on  the  Pacific  coast  north  of  Monterey.  The  shells 
are  used  as  paint  holders  and  as  ornaments. 

Large  quantities  of  another  genus  are  sold  to  farmers 
along  the  New  Jersey  and  Long  Island  coasts  for  fertilizer. 
The  fresh-water  mussels  are  of  much  value  as  food  for  ani- 
mals and  birds,  and  the  shells  are  used  in  making  pearl 
buttons.  Pearl  fishing  was  followed  throughout  the  Mis- 
sissippi Valley  by  the  Indians  and  by  the  early  settlers,  in  a 
small  way,  but  the  first  excitement  in  recent  years  was  in 
1878  in  Ohio.  Since  that  time  at  regular  intervals  "crazes" 
have  developed  in  one  section  or  another.  Among  the 
"crazes"  may  be  mentioned  that  in  Wisconsin  beginning  in 
1889  and  later  extending  down  the  river ;  that  in  Arkansas  in 
1896,  that  on  the  Clinch  River  in  Tennessee  in  1901,  that  on 
the  Wabash  in  1903,  and  that  on  the  Illinois  River  in  1906. 
At  the  height  of  the  excitement  in  Arkansas  it  is  estimated 
that  10,000  persons  were  engaged  in  pearl  fishing.  The  shells 
of  the  mussels  were  a  waste  product  until  the  opening  of  the 
button  factories.  Now  the  shells  are  the  important  product 
of  the  industry,  while  pearls  furnish  the  speculative  element. 

OYSTER — Oysters  rank  first  in  value  among  all  fishery 
products  of  the  United  States.  The  oyster  industry  is  re- 
ported for  every  state  on  both  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  coasts, 
with  the  exception  of  New  Hampshire.  The  greatest  pro- 
duction is  from  the  beds  of  Long  Island  and  Chesapeake 
Bay. 

PIKE  PERCHES — -The  "wall-eyed  pike"  is  known  as  "glass 
eye",  "pike  perch",  "yellow  pike",  "dory",  and  "blue  pike" 
on  the  Great  Lakes,  and  as  "salmon",  "jack'«  "okow",  "blow- 
fish",  and  "green  pike"  in  other  localities.  It  is  an  excellent 
food  fish  and  sometimes  reaches  a  weight  of  20  pounds. 
The  sauger  or  sandfish,  which  is  smaller  and  less  important 


COMMERCIAL  FISHING.  241 

as  a  food  fish,  is  especially  abundant  in  the  Great  Lakes. 
This  fish  is  taken  principally  in  gill  nets  and  pound  nets. 
POLLACK  —  The  pollack,  a  food  fish  of  importance,  is 
found  mainly  off  the  New  England  coast.  It  sometimes 
appears  as  far  south  as  Virginia.  The  average  weight  is 
about  10  pounds.  The  sounds  are  used  in  the  manufacture 
of  glue,  the  livers  are  sold  in  large  quantities  for  the  manu- 
facture of  oil,  and  the  tongues  are  cut  out  and  sold  fresh. 
The  catch  is  taken  principally  in  the  vessel  fisheries  and 
the  most  important  apparatus  used  are  lines. 

SALMON  —  The  salmon  of  the  Atlantic  coast  is  found 
along  the  coast  of  the  New  England  states.  At  different 
ages  this  fish  is  known  as  'parra",  "smolts",  "grilse",  "kelts", 
and  "salmon".  The  adults  weigh  from  15  to  40  pounds.  The 
land-locked  salmon,  or  fresh-water  salmon  is  found,  as  the 
name  implies,  in  fresh  waters,  generally  land-locked.  The 
steel-head  is  found  in  coastal  streams  from  San  Francisco 
northward.  The  blue-black  salmon  is  found  on  the  Pacific 
coast  from  the  Columbia  River  northward;  and  the  Cali- 
fornia salmon,  or  chinook  salmon,  or  quinnat,  is  found  from 
Monterey  to  Alaska.  The  dog  salmon  ranges  from  the 
Sacramento  River  to  Behring  Strait ;  the  humpbacked  salmon, 
or  lost  salmon  from  the  Sacramento  River  to  Alaska;  and 
the  silver  salmon  or  white  salmon  is  found  in  all  rivers  from 
the  Sacramento  River  to  Behring  Strait. 

Next  to  oysters,  salmon  is  the  most  important  of  the 
fishery  products.  Most  of  the  salmon  catch  is  made  on 
the  Pacific  coast. 

SHAD  —  The  common  shad  is  found  on  all  the  coasts 
of  the  United  States  and  in  some  inland  waters,  the  most 
important  shad  fisheries  being  in  the  rivers  of  the  Atlantic 
slope.  The  average  weight  is  about  4  pounds  and  the  aver- 
age length  about  2  feet.  Among  fish  proper  it  is  surpassed 

16 


242  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

only  by"  salmon  and  cod.  Gill  nets  are  the  leading  apparatus 
of  capture. 

SHRIMP  AND  PRAWN  —  The  shrimp  is  a  crustacean  found 
in  large  numbers  on  all  our  coasts  and  in  many  inland  waters. 
The  usual  length  is  about  &  inches,  but  some  attain  a  larger 
size.  They  are  caught  in  dip  nets,  purse  nets,  etc.,  and  are 
used  for  food  and  bait.  The  prawn  is  generally  larger 
than  the  shrimp,  often  having  a  length  of  7  inches.  The 
bulk  of  the  shrimp  and  prawn  products  come  from  the  warm 
western  waters,  and  by  far  the  largest  portion  from  Loui- 
siana. 

SNAPPERS  —  The  red  snapper  which  is  the  most  important 
of  the  snappers,  is  a  large  fish,  bright  red  in  color,  and  is 
found  from  Long  Island  southward,  but  in  greatest  abundance 
along  the  coasts  of  the  Gulf  states.  The  red  snapper  product 
of  Florida,  Alabama  and  Texas  contribute  over  90  per  cent. 
of  the  total  value  of  the  snappers  caught  in  these  Gulf 
states.  The  chief  fishing  ground  is  off  the  west  coast 
of  Florida.  As  these  fish  habitually  feed  along  the  ground  in 
from  10  to  40  fathoms  of  water,  lines  are  only  used  in 
their  capture. 

SPONGE  —  The  sponge  which  is  of  commercial  value  is 
found  off  the  west  coast  of  Florida. 

SQUETEAGUE — 'The  common  weakfish,  or  squeteague  is 
found  in  abundance  along  the  Atlantic  coast  from  Cape 
Cod  to  Florida.  It  averages  about  2$  pounds  in  weight, 
ibut  some  attain  a  weight  of  80  pounds.  The  spotted 
squeteague  is  found  from  New  Jersey  to  Texas,  and  some- 
what larger  than  the  other  species.  The  California  ''blue- 
fish"  and  the  great  "white  sea  bass"  of  California  are  the 
other  species  of  weakfish.  Squeteague  fishing  begins  in  the 
latter  part  of  April  and  lasts  from  six  to  eight  weeks,  until 
tho  school  begins  to  move  off  into  deeper  and  cooler  waters. 
They  are  caught  in  pound  nets,  traps  and  weirs. 


COMMERCIAL  FISHING.  243 

STURGEONS  —  Sturgeons  are  found  on  the  Atlantic  and 
Pacific  coasts  and  in  many  inland  waters.  The  Atlantic 
sturgeon  attains  a  length  of  from  5  to  12  feet  and  a  weight 
of  from  400  to  500  pounds.  They  are  sold  fresh,  pickled  and 
smoked,  for  food;  caviar  is  manufactured  from  their  eggs; 
the  skin  is  made  into  leather;  and  the  sounds  are  used  in 
the  manufacture  of  glue  and  isinglass.  A  valuable  oil  is 
sometimes  obtained  from  the  parts  not  used  for  food,  and 
the  refuse  is  used  for  fertilizing  purposes. 

WHITEFISH  — Whitefish  are  among  the  most  important 
fresh-water  fishes  of  America.  The  common  whitefish  is 
the  most  valuable  species  of  all,  although  the  others  are 
highly  esteemed  as  food.  It  is  found  in  the  Great  Lakes 
region  and  is  known  as  "humpbacked",  "bowbacked"  and 
"highback"  whitefish ;  it  is  also  known  as  "Otsego  bass"  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Otsego  Lake,  N.  Y. 

The  whitefish  catch  is  confined  to  the  Great  Lakes,  Lake 
of  the  Woods,  and  Rainy  Lake.  In  value  it  ranks  fourth 
among  the  fishery  products  in  those  waters.  Every  state 
bordering  on  the  Great  Lakes  share  in  the  catch  of  white- 
fish,  Michigan  contributing  the  most.  Nearly  all  the  white- 
fish  product  is  marketed  fresh.  Gill  nets,  pound  and  trap 
nets  take  nearly  all  the  catch. 

Extent  and  Value  of  Fisheries  in  Canada. 

To  say  that  Canada  possesses  the  most  extensive  fisheries 
in  the  world  is  no  exaggeration ;  moreover,  it  is  safe  to  add 
that  the  waters  in  and  around  Canada  contain  the  principal 
commercial  fishes  in  greater  abundance  than  the  waters  of 
any  other  part  of  the  world.  The  extraordinary  fertility  of 
Canadian  waters  is  abundantly  proved  by  the  fact  that,  apart 
from  salmon,  all  the  lobsters,  herring,  mackerel  and  sardines, 
nearly  all  the  haddock,  and  many  of  the  cod,  hake,  and  pollack 
landed  in  Canada  are  taken  from  within  its  territorial  waters. 


244  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

The  coast  line  of  the  Atlantic  provinces,  from  the  Bay 
of  Fundy  to  the  Straits  of  Belle  Isle,  without  taking  into 
account  the  lesser  bays  and  indentations,  measures  over  5000 
miles ;  and  along  this  great  stretch  are  to  be  found  innumer- 
able natural  harbors  and  coves,  in  many  of  which  valuable 
fish  are  taken  in  considerable  quantities  with  little  effort. 

On  the  Pacific  coast,  the  province  of  British  Columbia, 
owing  to  its  immense  number  of  islands,  bays  and  fiords, 
which  form  safe  and  easily  accessible  harbors,  has  a  sea- 
washed  shore  of  7,000  miles. 

Along  this  shore  and  within  the  limits  of  the  territorial 
waters,  there  are  fish  and  mammals  in  greater  abundance, 
probably,  than  anywhere  else  in  the  whole  world. 

In  addition  to  this  immense  salt-water  fishing  area, 
Canada  has  in  its  numerous  lakes  no  less  than  220,000  square 
miles  of  fresh  water,  abundantly  stocked  with  many  species 
of  excellent  food  fishes.  In  this  connection,  it  may  be 
pointed  out  that  the  area  of  the  distinctly  Canadian  waters 
of  what  are  known  as  the  Great  Lakes  —  Superior,  Huron, 
Erie  and  Ontario  —  forms  only  one-fifth  part  of  the  total 
area  of  the  larger  fresh-water  lakes  of  Canada. 

The  fisheries  of  the  Atlantic  coast  may  be  divided  into 
two  distinct  classes :  the  deep-sea,  and  the  inshore  or  coastal 
fisheries. 

The  deep  sea  fishery  is  pursued  in  vessels  of  from  40  to 
100  tons,  carrying  crews  of  from  12  to  20  men.  The  fishing 
grounds  worked  on  are  the  several  banks,  which  lie  from  20 
to  90  miles  off  the  Canadian  coast.  The  style  of  fishing  is 
that  of  "trawling"  by  hook  and  line.  The  bait  used  is  chiefly 
herring,  squid  and  capelin ;  and  the  fish  taken  are  principally 
cod,  haddock,  hake,  pollack  and  halibut. 

The  inshore  or  coastal  fishery  is  carried  on  in  small 
boats  with  crews  of  from  two  to  three  men ;  also  in  a  class 
of  small  vessels  with  crews  of  from  four  to  seven  men.  The 
means  of  capture  employed  by  boat  fishermen  are  gill-nets, 


COMMERCIAL  FISHING.  245 

hooks  and  lines,  both  hand-line  and  trawl,  and  from  the 
shore  are  operated  trap-nets,  haul-seines  and  weirs.  The 
commercial  food  fishes  taken  inshore  are  the  cod,  hake, 
haddock,  pollack,  halibut,  herring,  mackerel,  alewife,  shad, 
smelt,  flounder  and  sardine.  The  most  extensive  lobster 
fishery  known  is  carried  on  along  the  whole  of  the  eastern 
shore  of  Canada,  whilst  excellent  oyster  beds  exist  in  many 
parts  of  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence ;  notably  on  the  north  coast 
of  Prince-Edward  Island,  and  in  the  Northumberland  Straits. 

The  salmon  fishery  is,  of  course,  the  predominant  one  on 
tha  Pacific  coast;  but  a  very  extensive  halibut  fishery  is  car- 
ried on  in  the  northern  waters  of  British  Columbia  in 
large,  well-equipped  steamers  and  vessels.  The  method  of 
capture  is  by  trawl-lining  dories  being  used  for  setting  and 
hauling  the  lines,  as  in  the  Atlantic  deep-sea  fishery. 

Herring  are  in  very  great  abundance  on  the  Pacific  coast, 
and  provide  a  plentiful  supply  of  bait  for  the  halibut  fishery. 

In  the  inland  lake  fisheries,  the  various  means  of  capture 
in  use  are  gill-nets,  pound-nets,  seines,  and  hook-and-line  to 
a  great  extent.  The  principal  commercial  fishes  caught  are 
whitefish,  trout,  pickerel,  pike,  sturgeon  and  fresh-water 
herring  —  the  latter  in  the  Great  Lakes  of  Ontario  only. 

The  total  market  value  of  all  kinds  of  fish  and  fish 
products  taken  by  Canadian  fishermen,  in  both  the  sea  and 
inland  fisheries,  during  the  fiscal  year  ended  March  31,  1911, 
amounted  to  $29,965,433. 

This  total  is  the  highest  yet  reached  in  any  one  year 
in  the  history  of  the  fisheries  of  Canada,  being  $336,263.32 
greater  than  that  of  the  preceding  year,  which  was  a  record 
one. 

To  the  total,  the  sea  fisheries  contributed  $2^,122,596  and 
the  inland  fisheries  $3,842,837. 

In  obtaining  these  results,  there  were  employed  1,680 
vessels  and  tugs,  and  38,977  boats,  the  whole  being  manned 
by  68,610  men;  while  24,978  persons  were  employed  in  the 


246  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

various  canneries  and  fish-houses,  etc.,  on  shore,  in  the 
preparation  of  the  fish  for  market.  From  this  it  will  be  seen 
that  almost  100,000  people  were  directly  employed  in  this 
great  industry. 

Gasoline  engines  are  being  freely  used  as  a  means  of 
propulsion  for  boats  in  the  inshore  and  inland  fisheries. 
During  the  year  under  review,  there  were  4,588  fishing  boats 
using  such  engines.  The  following  table  shows  the  value 
produced  by  the  fisheries  of  each  province,  in  its  respective 
order  of  rank,  with  the  increase  or  decrease  as  compared  with 
the  year  1900-10. 

Value 

Provinces.  Produced.        Increase.  Decrease. 

Nova    Scotia    $10,119,243  00  $2,038,131  44  

British    Columbia    9,163,23500 $1,151,52050 

New    Brunswick    4,134,14400 542,17125 

Ontario     2,02(5,12100 151,69200 

Quebec     1,692,47500 115,96165 

Manitoba     1,302,77900        299,39400 

Prince    Edward    Island 1,153,70800 43,84859 

Saskatchawan     172,90300 67700 

Yukon     118,36500           4,71107 

Alberta    82,46000 10220 

Totals     $29,965,433  00  $2,342,236  51  $2,005,973  19 


Net  Increase    $336,26332 


Nova  Scotia,  it  will  thus  be  seen,  has  again  taken  its 
place  at  the  head  of  the  list  of  fish-producing  provinces, 
with  a  phenomenal  increase  over  the  previous  year. 

The  value  of  the  British  Columbia  fisheries,  although 
it  shows  quite  a  large  decrease  from  that  of  the  year  before, 
is  yet  $2,698,197  ahead  of  that  of  the  year  1908-9.  Unfor- 
tunately, New  Brunswick,  Prince  Edward  Island  and  Quebec 
have  again  fallen  behind. 

The  following  table  shows  the  relative  values  of  the 
principal  commercial  fishes  returning  $100,000  and  upwards, 
in  their  order  of  rank  for  the  year  1910-11,  with  the  amount 
of  increase  or  decrease  when  compared  with  the  values  for 
thi  year  1909-10. 


COMMERCIAL  FISHING. 


247 


Kinds  of  Fish. 
Salmon 

Value. 
$7205,871 

Increase.   1 

decrease. 
$998,653 

Cod    

5,921,248 

$2,008,442 

Lobsters 

3,784,099 

126,953 

Herring 

.       2,278,842 

475,909 

Halibut 

1  251  839 

11,353 

Haddock 

1218759 

389  206 

Whitefish 

983594 

16,532 

Trout 

825  2.90 

204  107 

Smelts 

797066 

71,776 

Sprdines    ... 

539,227 

12,067 

Pickerel 

508513 

176,960 

Hake  and  cusk  3  

508,534 

140,915 

Pollack 

405  925 

80392 

Mackerel 

400  182 

547889 

Pike    .. 

380729 

19627 

Clams   and   qua.h3.ugs 

383  529 

41  551 

Oysters 

198,689 

53,215 

Alewives     

137,278 

37,190 

Eels 

110,802 

10.687 

The  foregoing  table  shows  a  phenomenal  increase  in  the 
value  of  cod,  due  to  the  coincident  of  high  prices  with  a 
big  catch. 

It  is  gratifying  to  note  that  there  is  a  substantial  increase 
in  the  value  of  lobsters  over  that  of  the  previous  year. 
The  total  value,  however,  is  still  considerably  less  than  that 
of  1908-09. 

Halibut  maintains  a  steady  increase  from  year  to  year. 

A  very  striking  falling  off  in  the  value  of  mackerel  is 
recorded,  the  total  value  for  1910-11  being  not  more  than 
half  the  average  annual  value  of  the  last  twenty  years.  The 
Nova  Scotia  coast  is  almost  entirely  responsible  for  the 
big  decrease.  It  is  rather  interesting  to  note  in  this  con- 


248  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

nection  that  Prince  Edward   Island  produced  a  value  con- 
siderably in  excess  of  that  of  the  previous  year. 

It  is  difficult  to  assign  a  cause  for  such  falling  off  in  this 
fishery;  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  means  of  capture 
in  common  use  had  a  good  deal  to  do  with  it.  Schools  of 
mackerel  are  erratic  in  their  movements,  swarming  into  the 
bays  and  harbours  in  the  course  of  some  seasons,  and  prac- 
tically deserting  them  during  others.  In  the  latter  event  there 
can  be  only  one  result:  namely,  a  diminished  catch  —  even 
though  the  fish  may  be  plentiful  a  few  miles  off  shore — 
owing  to  the  fact  that  the  fishing  is  largely  fixed  to  the 
shore. 

*A  The  increase  in  the  value  of  oysters,  which  was  recorded 
in  last  year's  report,  is  more  than  offset  by  the  decrease 
shown  in  the  foregoing  table. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Distribution  of  Fish  —  Good  Places. 

HILE  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the 
distribution  of  each  and  every  kind 
of  fish  is  not  essential,  the  angler 
will  be  interested  to  know  approxi- 
mately how  far  the  range  of  certain 
fishes  extends,  and  if  he  contemplates 
going  to  some  other  place  where  he  is 
unacquainted,  he  will  naturally  want 

to  know  what  kinds  of  fish  he  is  most  likely  to  find  there: 
Also,  if  there  is  a  vacation  or  a  fishing  trip  in  prospect  he 
will  want  to  know  of  the  most  favored  localities. 

It  is  impossible  to  give  accurately  the  range  of  each  and 
every  species  of  fish  for  this  is  not  known,  even  to  naturalists. 
Therefore,  in  most  cases  the  distribution  as  given  can  not  be 
taken  as  the  extreme  limit  of  the  district  in  which  the  fish 
is  found,  for  sometimes  some  certain  fish  will  be  found  in 
waters  far  removed  from  its  natural  range,  and  in  other 
cases  there  may  be  a  large  district,  embracing  several  states 
well  within  the  boundaries  of  this  fish's  habitat,  in  which 
no  such  fish  are  found.  This  may  be  due  to  one  or  more  of 
several  causes.  In  many  cases  man  has  aided  nature  in  dis- 
tributing the  various  fishes  by  introducing  western  fishes 
into  eastern  waters,  or  in  placing  eastern  fish  in  waters 
west  of  the  Rockies,  or  even  in  bringing  fish  from  Europe. 
In  this  way  fish  may  become  widely  distributed,  yet  great 
spaces  intervene.  Again  it  is  believed  that  various  fishes 
were  scattered  over  a  great  range  during  the  Glacial  Period, 
by  being  carried  frozen  in  ice  from  far  to  the  northward. 


250  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

It  is  possible  too  that  certain  fish-eating  birds  may  carry  the 
spawn  of  fishes,  and  often  some  very  small  stream  during 
high  water  connects  the  heads  of  two  different  water- 
courses, or  fish  may  even  be  carried  by  underground  streams, 
but  not  likely  any  great  distance. 

While  I  have  shown  a  map  showing  in  general  where 
each  kind  of  fish  is  found,  this  is  not  strictly  accurate  and 
that  the  distribution  of  fishes  may  be  better  understood  I  will 
give  as  accurately  as  possible,  in  text,  the  range  of  each. 

The  small-mouthed  black  bass  was  originally  found  only 
in  the  region  surrounding  the  Great  Lakes,  in  the  upper 
Mississippi  valley,  the  Ohio  valley,  and  the  streams  on  the 
slopes  of  the  southern  Alleghany  mountains.  But  the  fish 
has  been  introduced  into  both  eastern  and  western  waters, 
wherever  the  water  is  reasonably  cool  and  rapid,  so  that  the 
fish  is  now  found  in  all  of  the  eastern  states  and  some 
of  the  western  ones.  It  is  not  found  in  the  South  except  in 
the  mountain  streams,  and  I  understand  it  does  not  exist 
farther  north  than  the  Height  of  Land,  in  Canada.  The 
large-mouthed  species  is  found  mainly  in  the  South,  but 
ranges  almost  as  far  north  as  the  small  mouth,  being  found  in 
the  more  quiet  waters.  One  species  or  other  is  now  found 
in  every  state  east  of  the  Great  Plains. 

On  the  map  I  have  shown  the  sunfishes  collectively,  by 
a  single  character,  and  it  should  be  understood  that  this  char- 
acter may  mean  any  kind  of  sunfish  other  than  the  black 
bass. 

The  common  sunfish  or  pumpkin  seed  is  found  in  all  of 
the  country  south  of  and  adjoining  the  Great  Lakes,  the 
headwaters  of  the  Mississippi,  and  all  of  the  states  lying 
east  of  the  Appalachian  Mountain  system.  The  long  eared 
sunfish  is  found  in  the  same  territory  and  also  all  the  way 
down  through  the  Mississippi  valley,  and  on  to  Mexico. 
The  blue  sunfish  or  bluegill  inhabits  the  entire  Mississippi  and 
Ohio  valley,  and  the  southern  states.  The  red  breast  sunfish 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  FISH  — GOOD  PLACES.  251 

is  found  in  all  of  the  states  bordering  on  the  Atlantic,  and 
along  through  the  Gulf  states  to  Louisiana.  The  rock  bass 
or  goggle-eye  is  found  in  New  York  and  westward  and  south- 
ward throughout  the  Mississippi  valley  to  Texas.  The  war- 
mouth  perch  is  found  in  the  upper  part  of  the  Mississippi 
valley,  and  in  all  of  the  Gulf  states.  The  Sacramento  perch 
is  found  only  in  California.  The  strawberry  bass  or  calico 
bass  is  found  in  the  upper  Mississippi  river  valley  and  east- 
ward, then  southward  through  the  Atlantic  coast  states,  and 
westward  through  the  Gulf  states.  The  crappie  is  found 
throughout  the  entire  Mississippi  valley,  but  is  most  abundant 
in  the  southern  part.  So  much  for  the  sunfish. 

Of  the  trouts,  as  before  said,  there  are  many  kinds,  and 
they  are  scattered  widely.  The  trout  inhabits  cool  clear  water 
only,  and  one  species  or  other  may  be  found  in  every  state 
west  of  Kansas  and  Nebraska  in  the  streams  in  or  near  the 
mountains;  in  all  of  the  mountain  states  of  the  East;  in 
the  New  England  states  and  all  those  bordering  on  Canada,  as 
well  as  practically  all  of  Canada,  Newfoundland  and  Alaska. 
The  most  common  species  is  the  brook  trout;  it  is  found  in 
all  of  the  New  England  states,  New  York,  Pennsylvania, 
West  Virginia,  eastern  Tennessee,  western  North  Carolina, 
and  northern  Georgia,  in  New  Brunswick,  and  in  fact  all  of 
eastern  Canada  and  the  Great  Lake  region,  and  in  New- 
foundland. The  cut-throat  trout  ranges  from  western  Mon- 
tana and  northern  California  northward  into  Alaska.  The 
rainbow  trout  is  the  most  common  trout  on  the  Pacific  coast 
and  is  found  from  northwestern  Mexico  northward,  just  how 
far  will  depend  on  what  you  call  a  rainbow  trout,  as  the 
brook  trout  of  the  northwest  is  a  rainbow.  The  rainbow  has 
also  been  introduced  into  streams  of  Wisconsin,  Michigan, 
New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  also 
in  Newfoundland.  The  Kansas  river  trout  is  found  on  the 
east  slope  of  the  Rockies,  from  the  headwaters  of  the  Kan- 
sas river  to  the  upper  Missouri  in  Montana.  The  Yellow- 


yiiliilllliUiil.! 

.5\    ±i    «> 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  FISH  — GOOD  PLACES.  253 

stone  trout  is  found  in  northwestern  Wyoming  and  western 
Montana  and  Idaho.  The  malma  or  dolly  varden  trout  is 
found  along  the  northwestern  coast  from  northern  Cali- 
fornia to  Alaska  and  is  caught  in  fresh  water  and  in  the 
se,a.  The  steelhead  is  found,  in  salt  water  and  river  mouths 
from  California  northward,  and  spawns  in  the  heads  of  the 
streams.  It  and  allied  species  are  common  in  British 
Columbia. 

The  true  salmon  of  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  are  so 
closely  related  to  the  trouts  that  they  might  well  all  be 
called  trout  or  all  salmon,  and  really  do,  with  the  exception 
of  the  chars,  belong  to  the  same  family.  The  Atlantic 
salmon  seldom  enters  the  streams  south  of  Maine,  and  is 
more  abundant  in  Canadian  and  Newfoundland  waters. 
They  are  plentiful  along  the  coast  of  Labrador  and  around 
into  Hudson  bay,  entering  the  streams  there  in  large  num- 
bers. The  various  Pacific  ocean  salmon  are  found  all  along 
the  coast  from  central  California  northward  to  Behring  sea 
and  run  up  all  of  the  streams  to  spawn. 

The  muskellunge  and  the  pike  inhabit  the  same  waters, 
the  Great  Lakes,  the  St.  Lawrence  and  its  tributaries,  certain 
waters  of  New  York,  and  many  of  Michigan  and  Wisconsin, 
as  well  as  the  streams  and  lakes  of  the  north  side  of  the 
Great  Lakes.  The  pike  also  extends  northwestward  into 
Manitoba,  Saskatchewan,  Alberta  and  the  far  northwest. 
The  range  of  the  eastern  pickerel  is  from  the  St.  Lawrence 
valley  southward  through  all  of  the  Atlantic  coast  states 
to  Florida.  The  western  pickerel  inhabits  all  of  the  states 
of  the  Middle  West. 

The  pike-perch  is  found  in  the  region  surrounding  the 
Great  Lakes  and  the  upper  Ohio  river  and  i^s  tributaries, 
also  along  near  the  Atlantic  coast  from  Maryland  southward. 
The  yellow  perch  is  more  widely  distributed,  being  found  in 
the  same  range  as  the  pike-perch  and  farther  up  along  the 
east  coast,  extending  through  the  New  England  states. 


254  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

The  carp  and  the  catfish  are  common  in  almost  every 
state  in  the  Union.  All  of  the  carp  have  been  introduced 
from  Europe  and  catfish  have  also  been  extended  beyond 
their  natural  range  by  transplanting.  They  have  been  intro- 
duced into  California  and  have  thrived  wonderfully.  The 
rivers  of  the  Middle  West  are  probably  the  best  streams  for 
carp  and  the  Illinois  river  is  said  to  produce  heavily  of 
these.  The  south  shore  of  Lake  Erie  is  also  a  great  carp 
producing  water,  and  they  are  netted  there  and  sent  to  the 
city  markets.  There  are  four  of  the  New  England  states 
in  which  catfish  are  not  found,  but  they  are  probably  found 
in  every  other  state.  Illinois  is  said  to  lead  in  the  produc- 
tion of  this  fish. 

Perhaps  the  best  districts  to  go  to  for  fishing  in  the 
United  States  are  Maine,  New  York,  northern  Michigan, 
Wisconsin  and  Minnesota,  Florida,  California  and  Washing- 
ton. In  Canada,  which  is  unsurpassed  as  an  angler's  resort, 
the  St.  Lawrence  river,  New  Brunswick,  the  many  lakes  of 
Ontario,  and  British  Columbia  are  the  most  noted  places. 
Newfoundland  is  noted  for  its  salmon  and  trout. 

Practically  all  of  northern  Maine  teems  with  speckled 
trout  and  the  many  lakes  and  rivers  offer  an  almost  un- 
limited field  for  the  angler.  Very  large  trout  are  taken  in 
some  of  the  Maine  waters,  and  I  think  that  this  state  holds 
the  record  for  large  speckled  trout.  The  Rangeley  lakes, 
Moosehead  lake,  the  Penobocot  river,  the  Aroostock,  are 
among  the  much  visited  waters,  but  almost  any  part  of  the 
state  offers  good  fishing.  Besides  the  speckled  trout,  lake 
trout  or  togue  are  found  in  some  of  the  lakes,  also  land- 
locked salmon. 

In  New  York  there  is  much  good  fishing  to  be  had. 
Some  of  the  best  bass  fishing  may  be  had  there.  There  is 
good  bass  fishing  in  practically  all  of  the  waters  of  the 
central  and  western  portions,  and  up  in  the  northeastern  part, 
in  the  Adirondacks,  very  good  trout  fishing  is  obtained. 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  FISH  —  GOOD  PLACES.  255 

These  mountains  have  many  lakes  and  streams  that  are  filled 
with  trout,  and  some  lakes  contain  lake  trout  or  salmon 
trout  as  they  are  called  there.  There  is  also  very  good  fish- 
ing for  a  varied  line  of  fish  in  the  group  of  lakes  in  the 
central  part  of  the  state.  In  the  St.  Lawrence,  about  the 
Thousand  Islands,  there  is  good  black  bass  fishing,  and 
muskys  are  also  found. 

Large  fish  are  seldom  taken  in  Pennsylvania,  but  small 
brook  trout  are  abundant  in  the  mountain  streams.  In  all 
of  the  central,  northern  and  northeastern  parts  good  trout 
fishing  may  be  had.  Black  bass  are  also  found  and  are  proba- 
bly most  abundant  in  the  southeastern  and  northwestern 
parts. 

Down  in  West  Virginia  there  is  also  some  good  angling, 
perhaps  the  best  is  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  state,  in  the 
Greenbrier,  Cheat,  and  Tygerts  Valley  rivers,  where  trout 
and  bass  are  found. 

Kentucky  is  full  of  good  fishing  streams.  It  was  in  this 
state  that  angling  for  black  bass  was  first  raised  from  its 
original  level  with  angling  for  bottom  fish. 

Florida  is  an  angler's  Paradise.  Very  large  black  bass, 
the  large  mouthed  kind,  are  found  there,  as  well  as  many 
other  fresh  water  fish.  Perhaps  the  best  region,  anyway  one 
of  the  best,  is  in  Lake  County.  I  am  not  speaking  of  the  salt 
water  fishing  here,  but  there  is  no  finer  fishing  of  that  kind 
to  be  had  anywhere  than  along  the  Florida  coast. 

In  Ohio  black  bass  are  found  in  nearly  all  streams,  also 
other  fish  of  various  kinds.  The  most  popular  resorts  are 
the  artificial  lakes  known  as  Buckeye  Lake,  Indian  Lake, 
Six  Mile  Reservior  and  Grand  Reservior.  The  fish  are 
large  mouthed  black  bass,  perch  and  sunfish  of  several  kinds. 

In  Indiana  and  Illinois  there  are  many  good  fishing 
streams  and  lakes,  containing  black  bass,  pike,  pickerel,  cat 
fish,  carp  and  crappies.  All  in  all,  perhaps  one  stream  is  as 
good  as  another. 


256  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

Michigan  furnishes  some  excellent  fishing,  the  waters 
being  largely  stocked  from  the  Great  Lakes.  Both  kinds  of 
bass  are  found  there,  also  pike  and  muskellunge,  and  other 
fish  of  less  note.  There  are  so  many  good  places  that  I 
will  not  attempt  to  name  them.  Good  rainbow  trout  fishing 
may  be  had  in  the  Au  Sable  and  the  fish  grow  to  a  large 
size.  Brook  trout  are  found  in  the  Upper  Peninsula  and 
the  northern  part  of  the  Lower  Peninsula. 

In  Wisconsin  we  have  perhaps  the  best  muskellunge 
waters  in  the  United  States,  the  fish  being  found  in  the 
waters  of  the  Mississippi  system.  Black  bass  and  other 
fishes,  such  as  calico  bass,  pickerel  and  perch  are  abundant. 
Trout  are  found  in  the  northern  part  in  plenty. 

In  Minnesota  the  fishing  is  practically  the  same  as  in 
Wisconsin. 

Not  much  can  be  said  regarding  the  fishing  in  Nebraska 
and  Kansas  except  that  there  are  black  bass,  catfish,  etc., 
and  several  kinds  of  trout  in  the  western  part.  In  the  Da- 
kotas  the  best  fishing  is  to  be  had  in  the  eastern  parts. 

Western  Montana  and  Idaho  are  rich  in  trout,  and  the 
Rocky  mountain  whitefish  is  found  there  also.  Grayling  are 
also  found  in  Montana. 

There  is  good  trout  fishing  in  Western  Wyoming,  fine, 
I  should  say,  for  the  streams  coming  down  from  the  Rockies 
are  filled  with  these  fish.  Whitefish  are  also  plentiful. 

Colorado  is  full  of  fine  trout  streams  and  there  are 
several  kinds  of  trout  found  there. 

In  Washington  and  Oregon  there  is  fine  fishing  as  the 
Salmon  and  steelhead  trout  ascend  all  of  the  streams  up 
into  Idaho.  There  are  also  the  western  brook  trout  and 
other  native  fish  as  well  as  introduced  kinds. 

California  probably  gives  the  best  trout  fishing  of  all  of 
the  Pacific  coast  states,  having  a  number  of  kinds  of  trout. 
There  are  also  other  fish,  and  the  sea  angling  of  the  south- 
west coast  is  of  the  finest.  Lake  Tahoe,  on  the  California- 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  FISH  —  GOOD  PLACES.  257 

Nevada  line,  is  a  large  body  of  very  clear  water,  containing 
an  abundance  of  Tahoe  trout,  which  are  also  found  in  some 
of  the  other  lakes. 

Leaving  Uncle  Sam's  country  and  going  up  into  British 
Columbia,  we  find  some  of  the  finest  fishing  to  be  had  any- 
where. The  best  salmon  fishing  is  found  in  the  salt  water 
where  the  waters  are  protected  by  the  many  islands.  Per- 
haps the  best  place  in  the  world  for  the  Pacific  salmon  is  in 
the  Campbell  river,  on  Vancouver  Island.  The  northern 
lakes  are  stocked  with  whitefish  and  trout  of  many  kinds 
abound  in  the  inland  rivers  and  lakes. 

Trout  are  found  also  in  parts  of  Alberta  and  Saskatche- 
wan, but  in  these  provinces  as  well  as  in  Manitoba  it  is  the 
whitefish  that  is  the  most  important.  It  is  not  a  game  fish, 
but  is  a  food  fish  of  the  highest  rank.  Pike  are  also  found 
there  and  in  the  lower  part  of  Manitoba  black  bass  are  found. 

Ontario  is  the  greatest  fresh  water  angler's  field  of 
Canada.  Here  the  brook  trout  is  found  in  almost  incredible 
numbers,  and  its  trout  waters,  especially  Nipigon  river  and 
lake  ,are  world  famous.  There  is  also  excellent  musky 
fishing  in  the  waters  adjacent  to  Lake  Huron  and  black 
bass  are  also  plentiful.  Pike  are  found  in  many  of  the 
lakes  and  reach  a  large  size.  Some  of  the  most  noted 
waters  are  Nipigon,  Kawartha  Lakes,  Muskoka  Lakes,  Tema- 
gami  (for  lake  trout),  Lake  of  Bays,  the  waters  of  the 
Algonquin  Park,  etc. 

Quebec  offers  fine  fishing  also,  especially  in  the  St. 
Lawrence  and  adjacent  waters.  Good  salmon  fishing  is  to 
be  had  in  the  rivers  of  the  north  shore  of  the  Gulf  of  St 
Lawrence. 

New  Brunswick  is  noted  for  its  trout  and  salmon  fish- 
ing, and  is  probably  the  same  in  this  respect  as  Newfound- 
land. Both  places  are  much  visited  by  non-resident  anglers. 

"17 


258  SCIENCE  OF  FISHING. 

In  this  description  I  have  not  mentioned  nearly  all  of 
the  fish  found  in  any  state  or  province,  nor  could  I  mention 
many  of  the  good  places  to  visit,  as  a  volume  could  be  de- 
voted to  that.  There  are  many  fish  that  I  have  not  men- 
tioned, either  here  or  in  any  part  of  this  book,  but  I  have 
described  and  told  of  the  principal  kinds,  and  those  that  I 
consider  most  important.  If  you  learn  to  catch  these  you 
will  have  no  trouble  with  the  others. 


Camp  and  Trail  Methods 

Interesting  Information  for  All  Lovers  of  Nature — 
the  Outdoors.       What  to   Take  and  What  to  Do. 

THE  author,  E.  Kreps,  who  has  spent 
several  years  in  various  parts  of 
North  America  camping,  hunting, 
and  trapping,  says :  "A  life  in  the  open 
air  calls  for  knowledge  which  a  very  large 
number  of  human  beings,  because  of  their 
environments,  cannot  gain,  except  when 
the  same  is  imparted  by  some  more  for- 
tunate one  who  has  learned  it  from  exper- 
ience. There  are  many  who  live  this  out- 
door life  and  these  old  seasoned  woodsmer. 
know,  perhaps,  all  that  is  contained  in  this 
book,  but  there  are  others,  a  much  larger 
number,  who  do  not  know  the  ntany  things 
relating  to  outdoor  life,  which  h  is  almost 
necessary  that  one  should  be  well  ecquaint- 
ed  with  when  he  or  she  make  their  first 
trip  into  the  fastnesses  of  Mother  Nature. 


"There  are  many  books  on  woodcraft,  , 
written  by  sportsmen,  fishermen,  and  campers,  but  only  a  few  of  these 
books  were  written  by  practical  woodsmen  and  for  people  who  want 
to  belong  to  that  class.  Such  books  are  intended  for  the  big  game 
hunter,  or  the  fisherman  who  goes  for  a  short  stay  into  some  easily 
accessible  location,  well  equipped  and  with  a  guide  who  does  all  the 
work  and  looks  after  the  comfort  of  those  whom  he  has  in  charge. 
This  book  is  a  decided  departure  from  that  class,  as  it  not  only  gives 
the  information  needed  by  the  tourist  and  summer  camper,  but  gives 
special  attention  to  the  needs  of  those  practical  ones  whose  calling, 
whatever  it  may  be,  leads  them  into  the  wilds  and  holds  them  there  at 
all  times  of  the  year  ;  the  hunter,  the  fisherman,  the  trapper,  the  pros- 
pector, the  surveyor  ;  all  these  and  many  ohers  will  find  much  valuable 
information  in  this  book  " 

This   practical  books  contains  274  pages  and  68   illustrations.     There 
are   19   chapters   as   follows : 


I.  Pleasures    and    Prpfits    of 

Camping. 
II.  Selecting  a   Camp   Outfit. 

III.  Clothing    for    the    Woods. 

IV.  Pack   Straps,   Pack  Sacks 
and    Pack    Baskets. 

V.  Cooking-     Utensils,      Beds 

and    Bedding. 
VI.  Firearms. 

VII.  Hunting  Knives  and  Axes. 
VIII.  Tents   and   Shelters. 


XI.  Snowshoes  and  Their  Use. 
XII.  Snowshoe    Making. 

XIII.  Skis,  Toboggans  and  Trail 
Sleds. 

XIV.  Provisions    and   Camp 
Cookery. 

XV.  Bush  Travel. 
XVI.  Traveling    Light. 
XVII.  Tanning    Furs    and    Buck- 
skins. 
XVIII.  Preserving  Game,  Fish  and 

Hides 
XIX.  Miscellaneous    Suggestions. 


IX.  Permanent    Camps 
X.  Canoes  and  Hunting  Boats 

As  the  author  says,  this  book  is  so  written  that  it  is  of  value  to  any- 
one who  camps  or  goes  upon  the  "trail."  Read  the  chapter  headings 
carefully.  This  book  tells  what  to  take  and  what  to  do.  The  book  is 
attractively  bound  in  cloth,  printed  on  good  paper,  size  5x7  inches. 

Price,  postpaid,  cloth  bound,  $1.00 

A.  R.  HARDING,  Pub.,  75  N.  Ohio  Ave.,  COLUMBUS,  OHIO 


CANADIAN  WILDS 

Tells  about  the   Hudson    Bay  Company,    Northern    Indians 
and   their    Modes   of    Hunting,    Trapping,    Etc. 

This  book  contains  277  pages,  size 
5x7  inches,  is  printed  on  good  quality 
heavy  paper  and  contains  thirty-seven 
chapters: 

I.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Company 

II.  The  "Free  Trader" 

III.  Outfitting  Indians 

IV.  'Trackers  of  the  North. 

V.     Provisions    for    the    Wilder- 
ness 

VI.    Forts  and  Posts 
VII.    About   Indians 
VIII.     Wholesome  Foods 
IX.    Officer's  Allowances 

X.     Inland   Packs 
XI.     Indian     Mode     of     Hunting 

Beaver 

XII.    Indian     Mode     of     Hunting 
Lynx  and  Marten 

XIII.  Indian     Mode     of     Hunting 

Foxes 

XIV.  Indian-    Mode     of     Hunting 

Otter  and  Musquash 

XV.  Remarkable   Success 

XVI.  Things  to  Avoid 

XVII.  Anticosti   and  its  Furs 

XVIII.  Chiseling   and    Shooting 

Beaver 

XIX.  The  Indian  Devil 

XX.  A  Tame  Seal 

XXI.  The  Care   of  Blistered  Feet 

XXII.  Deer  Sickness 

XXIII.  .A  Case  of  Nerve. 

XXIV.  Amphibious  Combats 
XXV.  Art  of  Pulling  Hearts 

XXVI.  Dark  Furs 

XXVII.  Indians  are  Poor  Shots 

XXVIII.  A  Bear  m  the  Water 

XXIX.  Voracious  Pik* 

XXX.  The  Brass  Eyed  Duck 

XXXI.  Good  Wages  Trapping 

XXXII.  A  Pard  Necessary 

XXXIII.  A  Heroic  Adventure 

XXXIV.  Wild  Oxen. 
XXXV.  Long  Lake  Indians 

XXXVI.     Den  Bears 
XXXVII.    The  Mishap  of  Ralson 

A.  R.  HARDING,  Pub.,  75  N.  Ohio  Ave.,  Columbus,  0. 


book  is 
from  the  pen 
of  a  Hudson  Bay 
Officer,  (Martin 
Hunter),  who  has 
had  40  years'  ex- 
perience with  the 
H  u  d  s  o  n  's  Bay 
Company— 1863  to 
1903. 


Price,  postpaid 

Clothbound 

$1.00 


The  Cabin  Boat  Primer 


Contains    Descriptions    and    Diagrams,    Photographs    and 

Chapters   on   the   Construction,    Navigation   and   Use 

of    House- Boats    for    Pleasure    and    Profit. 

This  is  a  very  interesting  and  instructive  book  on  making 
cabin  boats,  canoes,  row  boats,  etc.  It  teils  of  the  various 
streams  one  can  trip  on  with  a  cabin 
boat,  how  to  equip  for  such  a  trip,  what 
to  wear  and  eat,  cost  of  a  two  months' 
trip.  It  gives  descriptions  and  diagrams, 
photographs  and  chapters  on  construction, 
when  to  float  and  when  and  where  to 
land  and  other  useful  hints  for  the  water 
traveler. 

This  book  is  compiled  of  facts  and  ob- 
servations made  by  the  author,  Mr.  Ray- 
mond S.  Spears,  on  a  skiff  and  shanty- 
boat  journey  down  the  Mississippi  River 
in  1903-04.  'There  are  also  trips  and  ex- 
periences of  others  added  to  the  text  of 
The  Cabin  Boat  Primer  of  "How  to  Do 
Things"  when  one  goes  afloat  in  wild 
or  tame  waters.  This  book  has  up- 
wards of  40  illustrations  and  diagrams 
of  building  boats  and  canoes,  contains 


THE 

CABIN  BOAT 
PRIMER 


267    pages    and    32    chapters    as    follows: 
I.    Down  the  Mississippi 
River  in  a  Cabin 
Boat. 

II.    Trip   Down   the   Yu- 
kon. 

III.  The  Cabin  Boat. 

IV.  How  to  Build  a  Cabin 

Boat. 
V.    The    Cabin    Boat's 

Equipment. 

VI.    Furnishings  and  Fur- 
niture. 
VII.    Odds    and    Ends    of 


XVIII. 
XIX. 


VIII. 


Equipment. 
The  Skiff  or  1 


Tender. 


IX.     The  Gasolene  Launch. 
X.    What  to  Wear. 
XI.     Things  to   Eat. 
XII.     Cabin  Boat  Expenses. 

XIII.  Cabin     Boating 

Waters. 

XIV.  Maps     and     Landing 

Lists. 


XV.    Floating. 
XVI.    Floating   at   Night 

and  in  Fogs. 

XVII.    Going  Up  Stream. 
Weather. 

Making     Fast     and 
Some  Rope  Hints. 
XX.    Landings. 
XXI.    Troubles. 
XXII.    Care  of  the  Boat. 

XXIII.  Ways    of    Making 

Money. 

XXIV.  On  Making  Notes. 
XXV.     Land   Hints. 

XXVI.     Photographing. 
XXVII.     Game    and    Hunting. 
XXVIII.    Traps  and  Trapping. 
XXIX.    Fish  and  Fishing. 
XXX.     Amusements— Books. 
XXXI.    Trapper's  Canoe. 
XXXII.    A   Cabin   Boat   Coon 
Hunt. 


This  book  is  handsomely  bound   in   cloth,   size  5x7  inches  and 

printed    on    good    paper. 
Price,  Postpaid,  Cloth  bound,  $1.25 

A.  R.  HARDING,  Pub.,  75  N.  Ohio  Ave.,  Columbus,  O. 


A  Trip  on  the  Great  Lakes 


This  book  gives  an  excellent  and  instructive  descrip- 
tion of  a  trip  on  the  Great  Lakes  in  a  row  boat  by  the 
author,    Mr.    Raymond    Spears      It 

^ ,  describes  the  various  places  of  in- 
terest on  the  Canadian  shore,  the 
islands,  light-houses,  game  and  fur 
animals;  also  the  cost  of  such  a 
trip,  when  to  go  out  on  the  Lakes 
and  when  and  how  to  tell  when 
the  rough  water  comes.  Mr. 
Spears  learned  many  things  on 
this  trip  which  he  never  knew  be- 
fore, and  which  he  gives  in  detail. 
The  book  tells  of  the  fishing,  fish- 
ermen, trappers,  berry-pickers, 
etc.,  also  the  various  types  of  boats 
used  on  these  lakes.  The  book  is 
embellished  with  39  illustrations 
and  six  double-page  maps  of  the 
route  taken.  The  book  contains 
upwards  of  200  pages,  with  20 
chapters  as  follows: 


I.  The      Start      From 

Black    River. 
II.  Canadian   Customs. 

III.  In      the      Bay      of 

Quinte. 

IV.  Working    My    Way 

up    Lake    Huron. 
V.  Perils  of  the  Great 

Lakes. 

VI.  Canada's    Fish    Li- 
cense. 
VII.  A    Region    of    Big 

Game. 
VIII.  In  the  Fishermen's 

Camp. 
IX.  A    Day    With    the 

Berry    Pickers. 
X.  North    Shore   Game 

Overseers. 

XI.  A    Desolate   Abode. 
XII.     A       Small       Rifle 
Country. 


XIII.  North     Shore     Fur 

Pockets  No.  1 — . 
A  Trapper  Pirate. 

XIV.  North     Shore     Fur 

Pockets  No.  2—. 
A  Valuable  Black 
Fox. 

XV.  North  Shore  Fur 
Pockets  No.  3—. 
Twelve  Silver 
Foxes. 

XVT.  North     Shore     Fur 

Pockets    No.    4—. 

Eleven     Mink     at 

Once. 

XVII.  Great   Lakes   Small 

Boats. 
XVIII.  Great  Lakes  Motor 

Boats. 

XIX.  Great   Lakes   Fish- 
ermen. 

XX.  Great  Lakes  Fish- 
ing. 


This  Book  is  Bound  In  Cloth,  5x7  Inches,  Price      d»-i    r\f\ 

A.  R.  HARDING,  Publisher, 
75  North  Ohio  Avenue,  COLUMBUS,  O. 


HOME  TAXIDERMYF^Dp^IFxRE 

A  Guide  for  those  who  wish  to  prepare  and  mount  animals,  reptiles, 
etc.,   for   home,   den  or  office   decoration. 

THE  author,  Mr.  Albert  B.  Farnham,  in  the 
Introduction,  among  other  things  says: 
"This  volume  of  the  Pleasure  and  Profit 
Library  is  offered  to  the  hunter,  trapper,  fisher, 
vacationist  and  out-of-door  people  in  general.  In 
the  study  and  practice  of  taxidermy  for  several 
years  I  have  failed  to  find  any  work  written  pri- 
marily for  these  every  day  nature  lovers,  though 
they  probably  handle  a  greater  number  of  inter- 
esting specimens  of  wild  animal  lite  than  ail 
other  classes  of  people.  Thoroughness,  patience 
and  some  love  for  nature  are  qualities  highly  de- 
sirable in  this  art.  Work  prepared  by  one 
possessing  these  qualities  need  not  be  ashamed, 
and  practice  will  bring  skill  and  perfection. 
^»  a  iiandicraft  in  which  the  workman  has  not  been  displaced  or 
made  secondary  by  a  machine,  taxidermy  is  noticeable  also,  and  for 
many  reasons  is  worthy  of  its  corner  in  the  home  work-shop.  In  this 
work  the  ladies  can  take  a  very  effective  hand,  and  numbers  have 
done  so;  for  there  is  no  doubt  that  a  woman's  taste  and  lightness  of 
touch  enables  her  in  some  branches  of  taxidermy  to  far  excel!  the 
average  man.  Especially  in  the  manipulation  of  frail  skins  and  deli- 
cate feathers,  in  bird  taxidermy  is  this  so." 

This  practical  book  contains  246  pages,  107  illustrations,  31  chap- 
ters, and  is  by  far  the  best  way  to  learn  taxidermy  and  at  a  cost 
trifling  compared  to  Correspondence  Schools  and  much  less  than  any 
reliable  book  on  the  subject.  Read  the  chapter  headings  and  note 
how  thorough  the  book  is: 

I.  History   of   the   Art. 
II.  Outfits — Tools  and  Material. 

III.  Preservative     Preparations, 

Formu'as,    etc. 

IV.  Panels,    Shields    and    Natu- 

ral and  Artificial  Mounts. 
V.  Field   Work,    Collecting. 
VI.  Skinning:      and      Preserving 

Skins. 
VII.  Making    Scientific   Skins. 


XVI.  Mounting     Heads     of     Small 
Animals,    Birds  and  Fish. 
XVII.  Mounting     Heads     of     Large 

Game. 

XVIII.  Mounting     Horns     and     Ant- 
lers. 

XIX.  Mounting   Feet    and   Hoofs. 
XX.  Mounting   Fish. 
XXI.  Mounting     Fish — Baumgartel 

Method. 

XXII.  Mounting      Reptiles,      Frogs 
Toads. 

XXIII.  Skulls   and   Skeletons. 

XXIV.  Sportsmen's  Trophies. 
XXV.  Odds    and    Ends,    Taxidermy 

Novelties. 

XXVI.  Groups   and   Grouping. 
XXVII.  Animal    Anatomy. 
XXVIII.   Casting    and   Modelling. 
XXIX.  Market   Trophy  Hunting. 
XXX.  Collecting  and  Mounting  for 

Sale. 

XXXI.  Prices  for  Work. 
Taxidermy  te  a  pleasant  and  profitable  business  and  can  be  learned 
at  home  from   simply  reading  and  following  instruction  given  in   my 
book— HOME  TAXIDERMY   FOR  PLEASURE  AND  PROFIT.     This 
book  is  just  as  reliable  and  practical  as  others  of  Harding's  Pleasure 
and  Profit  Books,   for  the  author  knows   taxidermy  from  A  to  Z. 
Price,  postpaid,  cloth  bound,  to  any  address,  $1.50 


VIII.  Preparing     Skins     for 

Mounting. 

IX.  Mounting    Small    and    Me- 
dium Birds. 

X.  Mounting   Large  Birds. 
XI.  Tanning,       Cleaning      and 

Poisoning    Skins. 
XII.  Making   Animal   Fur   Rugs. 

XIII.  Fur     Robes     and     How     to 

Make   Them. 

XIV.  Mounting     Entire    Small 

Animals. 
XV.  Mounting   Large    Animals. 


75  North  Ohio  Avenue, 


COLUMBUS,  O. 


HARDING 


PLEASURE 
AND  PROFIT 

Bee  Hunting,  80  pages     

Science  of  Trapping,  245  pages 

Fur  Farming.  278  pages 

Hunting  Dogs,  253  pages 

Wolf  and  Coyote  Trapping,  252  pages 

Fox  Trapping.  185  pages 

Mink  Trapping.  188  pages 

Deadfalls  and  Snares.  232  pages — 
Ferret  Facts  and  Fancies,  214  pages 
Steel  Traps.  333  pages. 


$  .35 
.  1.00 
•  1.00 
.  1.00 

1.00 
.  1.00 
.  1.00 

1.00 
.  1.00 

1.00 


Land  Cruising  and  Prospecting,  176  pages  1.00 
Camp  and  Trail  Methods,  274  pages..  ..  1.00 

Science  of  Fishing,  258  pages 1.00 

Canadian  Wilds,  277  pages 1.00 

A  Trip  on  the  Great  Lakes,  212  pages —  1.M 

The  Cabin  Boat  Primer,  267  pages 1.25 

3001  Questions  and  Answers,  395  pages.  1.25 
Fifty  Years  a  Hunter  and  Trapper,  318  pp.  1.25 
Ginseng  and  Other  Medicinal  Plants, 

367  pages 1.25 

Home  Manufacture  of  Furs  and  Skins, 

285  pages 1.50 

Home  Taxidermy  for  Pleasure  and  Profit. 

246  pages 1.50 

Fur  Buyers'  Guide,  370  pages  .       2.00 

NOTE.  Above  books  were  written  by 
those  who  from  long  experience  know  the 
Forest,  Field  and  Stream,  well  printed, 
cloth  bound,  except  Bee  Hunting,  and  all 
illustrated  excepting  .Bee  Hunting,  Canad- 
ian Wilds  and  3001  Questiona  and  Answers. 

PRICES.  If  two  or  more  $1.00.  $1.25  or 
$1 .50  books  are  ordered  together  there  is  a 
reduction  of  10  cts.  on  each.  No  reduction 
on  Bee  Hunting  and  Fur  Bayers'  Guide. 

BOOKLET  of  32  pages  fully  describing, 
mailed  free.  . 

A.  R.  HARDING,  Publisher, 

75  N.  Ohio  Ave.  Columbus,  Ohio 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below, 
or  on  the  date  to  which  renewed.  Renewals  onlv: 

Tel.  No.  642-3405 

Renewals  may  be  made  4  days  priod  to  date  due. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


Berkeley 


U5T4 


I! 


1 


ii 


